duvelian
Na nga def, fellow movie goers! This means hello in Senegalese, which is where our movie, Ça Twiste à Popenguine, takes place. However, in the film, young Senegalese students would be lightly punished for speaking in their mother tongue of Wolof, in their French classroom. So for their sake, I say bonjour to you now!The title itself, Ça Twiste à Popenguine, means Rocking Popenguine. I believe that this is a very suitable title, for the entire movie moves to the beat of rock and roll. With American, French, and Senegalese music carrying on in the background, the movie accurately shows us the mixing of cultures. For some, this mixture is negative and often rejected, but for the others, it's embraced as the future of generations to come. You'll quickly adore the main character is a Senegalese boy named Bacc, played by Ismael Thiam. He is a funny little guy alright, running around, doing business with his Wolof brothers and sisters. Bacc has no mother or father in the movie. While his father is out of the picture and does not matter, it is often said that his mother is "lost in the city." By the end of the movie, it becomes much clearer what is meant by this. As an orphan, Bacc is the son of all the Wolof people: they all take him in and care for him. At least his Grandmother is around, she is very encouraging of Bacc's education, and dreams of the day when his pitchoss will be in all books.Bacc is more of a member of Les Inseparables, or the In's for short. This Wolof click is comprised of three teenage boys and two teenage girls, who love French music. The children each have two names: one is their favorite French pop singer's name and the other is their real given name, which is either French or Arabic. The Ins' rival are the Kings, a group of teenage Wolof boys who are obsessed with American rock music. It was fascinating how the director, Moussa Sene Absa, contrasted the music: playing the music the group liked in the background as they appeared on screen. I believe more Senegalese music played when the focus was on Bacc by himself, or other characters, like Monsieur Benoit. The music was only one aspect in which we witness cultures actively mixing.The aforementioned character Monsieur Benoit, played by Jean-François Balmer, is the children's teacher at the French School. At school, the children must only speak in French, any other language, especially Wolof, is prohibited. The children liked the French school better than the Koranic school because they actually fed them good. Furthermore, to learn the French language is considered to be the only way to become rich and successful. It is never said, but I believe Bacc's mother found a successful job in Paris after completing her French education, and is now lost in the city for it's opportunity. Monsieur Benoit, himself, shows us the inner battle one has with modernity. He doesn't know where he feels more alien: in Popenguine or his home in France. Pay special attention to Benoit when he's drunk as opposed to when he's sober. As a drunk man, he raves about how France colonized Africa, giving it a clean slate. Then when he argues with the traditional Muslim Jabeel, as a sober man, he says "the children are our future" and that "cultures should give and take from each other to grow." Excellent way to show your point, Absa: modernity is the children's future and French is their future; a way of expansion.Speaking of modernity, I really loved the scene when Haj Gora buys a television for his wife. All of the village's children came to watch the new, amazing, colorful gift. They happily absorbed the classical Greek play Sophocles in French: ironic. What was also ironic about this scene was that Absa placed the T.V. in the direction of Mecca, so the Muslim community prayed towards it. Interestingly, Absa did not portray any conflict between the religions of Christian and Muslim. He focused more so on the impact of modernity: how the older and traditional members were more culture-shocked and the children easily adjusted to learning French for a greater purpose and opportunity. I usually don't comment on the ending of a film, in fear of ruining it for you. Yet, I must remark that the ending scene is a very interesting sight. Absa portrays post-modernity and a successful mixing of culture at a village party. I chuckled at the white man singing Chuck Barry with the black back-up band. I thought it was a fun and unique celebration with everyone partying together. I really think you'll find it fascinating how natural Absa makes this film. You'll feel like you're in a day in the life of the Wolof people, enjoying the sun and listening to music. With the absence of a script, Absa created a film with a more documentary feel, but you feel like you're in it. It's up to you, though, whether you are in with the Kings or the Ins. Enjoy the rock and roll of cultures blending, my friends!
askarifaiza
Interesting, comical, and dramatic can be easily described for Rocking Popguine. It's a very attention grabbing movie in my opinion. The movie allows you to see the influence of the French culture in this town and the importance of it. French education and language was portrayed as being superior. The main character, Bacc, the little boy being raised by the community because his mother left him and ran away to France significance how the culture pulls together to raise the children of the future. Colonialism is often viewed as a bad thing. But in this movie it showed both the good and bad effect it had on the people. It was interesting to see that only French education such as French history was being taught in this little town of Africa. It struck out to me when the "grandmother" told Bacc to create African history and make her proud, to write the history of Africa. The African way of life was being integrated with the American and French traditions and culture. The youth loved to learn the French ways, but the elder generation had a hard time excepting the French ways. It was very interesting to see that these kids wanted to be associated with the French or even American culture rather than their own. Speaking French, listening to French music, deciding their own names based on rock stars.Another problem that was displayed in the movie is how the teacher, Mr. Beniot had a problem with himself. He felt as if he belonged to nowhere. He felt as if he was an alien to France, his home country and to Africa, where he spent most of his time. This conflict showed how he battled the idea of where home was for him, liking things of both French and African culture.It was interesting to see how the children from the movie had two names. The name that they were born with and the French or American name they choose in school. Some children even picked a name off of famous rockstars. The children prefer to go by the names they had picked their own self over the names that were given to them by their families. Music had a great impact on the children in the movie. The "Ins" are influenced by French pop music while the "kings" were influenced by American pop music. It was interesting to see how the rivalry was caused because one group had the girls but no disc player while the other group had the disc player but no girls. I know this movie was not provided a large amount of money to keep up with Hollywood but I would still have to say that it was such a good movie despite that. It was cool, it was fun and best of all it was humorous. Overall what I gained from this movie was how much French culture was incorporated into Africa. The comedy helped earn its points as well.
