KeitaFilmAnalysisDirectionsHUM211Winter2010
Keita
Film Analysis Directions
20 points possible; see Course Plan for deadlines
1. Label
your assignment with a complete MLA-style heading:
Your First +
Last Name
HUM 211, Prof. C. Agatucci
Keita Film Analysis
20 January
2010
2. Identify the HUM 211 text [i.e.
the film] being analyzed:
Keita: The
Heritage of the Griot.
[French
title: Keita! L'héritage du griot.] Burkina Faso & France, 1994. Dir.
Dani Kouyaté [b. 1961, Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso]. Perf. Seydou Boro, Hamed
Dicko, Abdoulaye Komboudri, Sotigui Kouyaté. Afix
Productions-California Newsreel, 1994. Videotape & DVD. [In Jula and French,
with English subtitles; Run time: approx. 94 min.]
3. Film
Analysis:
Write a one or two page analysis (using complete sentences, please) on
TWO of the following topic choices:
Topic 3.A.
Parallel Stories.
Director Dani Kouyate’s film Keita parallels the
contemporary story of Mabo Keita and the past story of Sundjata, Mabo’s
illustrious ancestor.
--Identify two significant similarities
that tie the stories of Mabo Keita and his ancestor Sundjata together in the
film; and
--Illustrate
each identified similarity
by
describing/citing specific example/s
from the film; and
--Explain why you think these similarities are significant to notice and
examine in helping us better understand and interpret the meaning of the film.
Topic 3.B.
Traditional vs. Modern Education.
Djeliba and Mr. Fofano come into direct conflict over the best education
for young Mabo Keita, with Mabo torn between the two.
--Identify
two significant differences
between the
traditional education offered by Djeliba and the modern education offered by Mr.
Fofano in the film; and
--
Illustrate each identified difference
by
describing/citing specific example/s
from the film; and
--Explain
why you think these differences are significant
to notice
and examine in helping us better understand and interpret the meaning of the
film.
Topic 3.C.
The Film’s Open Ending/s:
The final scenes of the film Keita leave the stories of both past
and present heroes Sundjata and Mabo Keita at turbulent crossroads without their
griots to guide them in making difficult choices that will shape their futures.
Of course, audiences familiar with the “Epic of Sundjata”
know the choices Sundjata made and the
outcome of his heroic story. However, the modern story of young Mabo is left
open and conflicted at the end of the film.
Explain why
you think director Dani Kouyate chose to end his film
Keita this way.
In doing so, comment on these questions:
--What is Mabo’s conflict at the end of
the film? What difficult choice/s
lie ahead of him and where might he find help?
Do you think the rest of Sunjdata’s story (see 3.1 Epic of Sundjata)
predicts the outcome of Mabo’s story?
--What
do you make of Director Dani Kouyate’s statement? :
“Most people speak about the shock provoked by the encounter of modernity and
tradition. For me, this shock does not really exist. There are two parallel
realities, and we are in between. And this is the problem. Sometimes we are
traditional, sometimes we are modern without ever having achieved to integrate
the two in an intelligent way. And this is why we have to take the bull by the
horns” (Gavron and Reinwald, cited in
Agatucci, 3.2 “Keita Film Notes &
Viewing Guide.”).
Topic 3.D. Griots Past and Present:
--Compare past and present roles of
the Griot in Mande society, using
examples from the film: e.g. Djeliba Kouyate of the present, and Doua and
Bella Fasseke (AKA Balla Fasseke) of the past.
--Comment also on filmmaker Dani Kouyate
and his father Sogui Kouyate (see Agatucci, 1.2 “Keita Film Notes & Viewing
Guide”) as modern-day griots.
Do you think the Kouyates are
using the modern medium of film to revitalize and carry out the griot’s
challenging mission in today’s Africa?
If so, how? .
4. Film
Questions and Other comments:
--Pose one
or more questions for discussion raised by your viewing of Keita: The Heritage
of the Griot.
--Comment on
other aspects of the film you thought striking/significant (but were not
addressed by any of the part 3 topics above).
References & Unit 3
assigned readings:
--3.1
Epic of Sundjata
ONLINE:
http://web.cocc.edu/cagatucci/classes/hum211/CoursePack/sundjata.htm
--3.2
Keita
Film Notes & Viewing Guide
ONLINE:
http://web.cocc.edu/cagatucci/classes/hum211/CoursePack/Keitafilmnotes.htm
Winter 2010 HUM 211 Syllabus | Course Plan | Online Course Pack Index |HUM 211 Home Page
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URL of this webpage:
http://web.cocc.edu/cagatucci/classes/hum211/KeitaFilmAnalysisDirections.htm
Last updated:
13 January 2010