Sarah Maldoror: SAMBIZANGA (1972)
@ Gene Siskel Film Center
164 N State St, Chicago, IL 60601
Opening Monday, September 23rd, at 8:30PM
SAMBIZANGA
1972, Sarah Maldoror, Angola/France, 97 mins
In Lingala and Portuguese with English subtitles | Format: Digital
Monday, September 23, 8:30 p.m. | Sarah Maldoror’s electrifying, pioneering SAMBIZANGA, based on the novel A Vida Verdadeira de Domingos Xavier by José Luandino Vieira, is set during the early days of the Angolan War of Independence and tells the story Maria, who embarks on a harrowing journey to find her husband, Domingos Xavier, after he is arrested by the Portuguese colonial authorities. Banned by the Angolan government until the country gained independence from Portugal in 1975, SAMBIZANGA is a searing portrayal of resilience and solidarity in the face of oppression. Shot largely with non-professionals and with an unwavering attention to a distinctly female experience of revolutionary struggle, Malador’s (who passed away in 2020 at the age of 90) film is considered a landmark work in both African and feminist cinema. Preceded by Joyce Weiland’s RAT LIFE AND DIET IN NORTH AMERICA (1968, Canada, 14 min.; in English / Format: Digital), a surreal exploration of the survival of a group of pet rats who are kept in captivity by their human owners. Weiland’s absurd approach to addressing themes of societal norms, politics, and identity draws distinct parallels between the lives of the rats and the human experience.
Awards & Nominations
Winner – OCIC Award, Forum of New Cinema, Berlin Film Festival
Winner – Interfilm Award, Forum of New Cinema, Berlin Film Festival
BlockFilms by Women/Chicago ’74: In September 1974, at the height of the feminist movement, the Film Center hosted Films By Women/Chicago ‘74, a series of screenings, workshops, and discussions, drawing 10,000 patrons to more than 70 short and feature films by women filmmakers. This fall, we’re partnering with Northwestern University’s Block Cinema to celebrate the 50-year anniversary of Films by Women/Chicago ‘74. Screenings held across the two venues will revisit some of the festival’s most original and daring films and filmmakers while reflecting on the event’s enduring legacies. Read more
The Film Center is ADA accessible. This presentation will be projected without open captions. The theater is hearing-loop equipped. For accessibility requests, please email filmcenter@saic.edu
Official Website
More events on this date
Tags: Block Museum, Chicago, Films by Women/Chicago ‘74, Gene Siskel Film Center, Loop, Northwestern, SAMBIZANGA (1972), Sarah Maldoror, Sarah Maldoror: SAMBIZANGA (1972)
« previous event
next event »