Tim Garrand writes:
"I am developing a first year student, general education, human rights
course around Revolutionary Cinema. I plan to look at various reform
oriented film movements, such as Russian Revolutionary Cinema, Italian
Neo-Realism, British Free Cinema etc. We will be look at the human rights
issues in each movement and how they were portrayed. Any suggestions for
particular films or movements, particularly in Africa(my weak point) and
textbooks suitable for first year students?"
 
One African film that is worth noting is CAMP AT THIAROYE (sp?) by the
"father of African cinema,"
Ousmane Sembene of Senegal.  It depicts an incident after WWII, when black
French colonial troops returned to Africa to be repatriated after helping
the Free French, only to be detained indefinitely and finally massacred.
 
Check the video catalogue (very nicely done) by California Newsreel for
their African cinema collection.
 
--Don Larsson, Mankato State U., MN