Women as Tireless Goddesses, Super-Humans and Geniuses in the African Alternative Cinema

Lawrence Ekwok

doi:10.11648/j.ijics.20170205.13

Abstract

Given male domination of the cinema medium, women portrayal in films has dominantly been stereotypical. This trend has been observed even in the African cinema. To counter this trend, a number of theorists and feminist schools of thought have proffered the African alternative cinema movement which insists on women writing their story by themselves so as to correct patriarchal portrayals of women in films. This paper seeks to critically examine this movement with respect to realism. Based on observation and a critical analysis of some Ghanaian and Nollywood films directed by females, it argues that the alternative African cinema may orchestrate a portrayal of women which is more utopian than realistic. Though having the potential to pertinently question the status quo – which is still highly detrimental to women – such a cinematic movement may somehow depart from factual or empirical reality about African women to rather construct and sell a dreamed – but unrealistic – image of the African woman.

Highlights

Cinematic representations of women have mostly been critiqued and censured by feminist film theorists and audiences on the grounds of chauvinism, misogyny and bigotry. This is not unconnected to the fact that such filmic representations generally denigrate, debase and objectify women, relegating them to the status of second class citizens and sex objects meant to satisfy masculine desires, as well as persons who are vulnerable and highly dependent on the men fold for achievement in life
Numerous empirical studies have demonstrated the persistence of negative stereotyping of women in the various African films [3,4,5,6,7,8,9]. In view of this technical and structural anomaly, feminist critics and female African film critics have since advocated the emergence of a feminine alternative cinema which, being feminist/womanist in inclination, will labour to correct the chauvinistic representation of women in the male dominated African cinema
In effect, estimated by Bird Eye View that women constitute less than 10% of film directors and 15% screen writers internationally

Summary

Introduction

Cinematic representations of women have mostly been critiqued and censured by feminist film theorists and audiences on the grounds of chauvinism, misogyny and bigotry. With particular reference to the Hollywood industry (third largest film industry of the world), Lauzen Martha (the executive director of the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film) succinctly notes that “the chronic under-representation of girls and women reveals a kind of arrested development in the mainstream film industry” [1] She further deplores the fact that few exceptions of films with feminine characters as lead roles may fool the public opinion. Numerous empirical studies have demonstrated the persistence of negative stereotyping of women in the various African films [3,4,5,6,7,8,9] In view of this technical and structural anomaly, feminist critics and female African film critics have since advocated the emergence of a feminine alternative cinema which, being feminist/womanist in inclination, will labour to correct the chauvinistic representation of women in the male dominated (mainstream) African cinema. Though having the potential to pertinently question the status quo – which is still highly detrimental to women – such a cinematic movement may somehow depart from factual or empirical reality about African women to rather construct and sell a dreamed – but unrealistic – image of the African woman

Conceptual and Theoretical Issues

Alternative Feminist Cinema and Realism

Alternative Cinema as Utopia

Findings

Conclusion