African Cinema Trivia Quiz

Answer: Tsotsi

He knows he cannot take care of the baby, yet he doesn't want to return him to his mother. Meanwhile, he's living outside the law while trying to raise money to send someone to school. The film won Best Foreign Film at the 2006 Academy Awards, making it only the third African film to ever win that honor.

Answer: Yeelen

The hero Nianankoro must leave his village after his father has a vision that his son will kill him. He decides to seek help from an uncle in another tribe. What follows is a mythic, fantastical quest involving magic, magical items, prophecy, love, and war. Directed by Souleymane Cisse, "Yeelen" has sometimes been called the African "Star Wars" and is considered one of the greatest African films.

I used to know someone who met the lead actor in the film, Issiaka Kane. Watching the film again, I was amazed at how connected people are, even far across the world: I talked to someone who talked to the main actor. Only one person separated us.

Answer: Black Girl

"Black Girl" from 1966 is the first Senegalese feature-length film and literally means "Black Girl from...". A young Senegalese woman is brought to France to be a maid for a married couple, which is not what she expected. Sembene's films are all about various social issues, such as colonialism, religion, oppression of women, and social corruption.

The film is shot in French, but some of his films are shot in Wolof, a language spoken in Senegal. "Mandabi" means "The Money Order".

Answer: Afrofuturism

Afrofuturism combines African history and culture with sci-fi and fantasy themes. It exists not only in film, but in music, artwork, and literature too--Octavia Butler and Nnedi Okorafor are two Afrofuturist authors. 2020's "Ratnik" is an apocalyptic film about the aftermath of a war against machines. "Neptune Frost", which is also a musical, is an odd film from 2021 about cyberpunk, time travel, and mining.

Answer: Who Killed Captain Alex?

"Expect the unexpectable!" He has made dozens of films on extremely low budgets (under $200 each). His film company in Kampala is called Wakaliwood, which makes "Da best of da best movies". His films have no social commentary and seek only to entertain. Because his computer had little hard drive space, he had to delete the original film file of "Who Killed Captain Alex?" to make room for new movies.

However, the film is preserved in physical and digital copies, albeit only with a humorous commentary track a-la "Mystery Science Theater 3000" laid over it, and millions across the world have seen it. So, what's it about? Hijinks involving the drug trade, the Ugandan army, amnesia, an organization called Tiger Mafia, and martial arts. Oh, and confusion over who killed Captain Alex.

It may not be award-worthy, but it is a very entertaining movie.

Answer: Homosexuality

"Dakan" means "destiny" and was one of the first African films (1997) to depict a homosexual relationship. The men, though in love with each other, form relationships with other women. "Rafiki" depicts two women who fall in love, but their culture is not understanding and punishes them. Fans of "The Lion King" may know that "Rafiki" means "friend" in Swahili.

Some Kenyans use this word to refer to their same-sex partners, as homosexuality was illegal in Kenya at the time the film was made in 2018.

Answer: Fire

It was directed by Mohammed Lakhdar-Hamina and spans fifteen years of famine, drought, war, politics, and revolution. It mainly follows a farmer who gets caught up in the rebellion against the cruelties of French colonialism. It was the first African film to win the Palme d'Or at Cannes. (To be precise, it was the first totally African-produced winner; Welles' "Othello" had won earlier, but it was a co-production of the U.S., Italy, and Morocco.)

Answer: Muna Moto

Jean-Pierre Dikongué Pipa's movie is an indictment of the brideprice/dowry system, in which the feelings of the marriage partners do not matter when placed against monetary considerations. It also criticizes patriarchy, as the uncle wants another wife because he claims his other wives are sterile. He doesn't consider that he might be the sterile one.

Answer: Black and White in Color

This is a comedic war film from 1976 that takes place as WWI begins. Hearing that war has broken out in Europe, the French in Cameroon decide to make war against the Germans in Togo, and various hijinks ensue. Much trouble comes from the French misunderstanding the indigenous peoples and also not being prepared to live in the land. "The Burning Cold" is an Andorran film, while "Up the Down Staircase" is an American movie. I made up the other title.

Answer: The Gods Must Be Crazy

The documentary follows N!ai from girlhood to womanhood, showing both her personal story (including her objections to an arranged marriage) and the changes her people go through when colonizers arrive. The "!" in her name indicates a click sound. Her people portray Bushmen in several scenes from the film "The Gods Must Be Crazy". "N!ai" shows what one of the main actors from that movie is actually saying during his scenes, as he was told to improvise dialogue that would be subtitled later.

He is teasing a child, as well as admonishing his fellow actors for not reacting in a certain way to his character's return.