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Ousmane Sembene, director
Director

Ousmane Sembene: Movies & Box Office

films
7
on screen
1969–2004
box office
$495K
Born
January 1, 1923
Birthplace
Ziguinchor, Casamance, French West Africa
Full name
Ousmane Sembène
Citizenship
Senegalese
Occupations
Film director, producer, screenwriter, actor, author
Years active
1956-2003
Spouses
Unnamed (2 marriages)
Children
3
Career at a glance

Ousmane Sembene's Career in Numbers

Ousmane Sembene's films in numbers — as a director, not counting appearances as themselves: when they were made, the genres Ousmane Sembene works in most and the milestones along the way. The filmography runs from Black Girl (1966) (1969) to Moolaadé (2004), and the 1970s were the busiest decade.

Ousmane Sembene Movies by Decade

  1. 1960s 1
  2. 1970s 4
  3. 2000s 2

The 1970s were Ousmane Sembene's busiest decade, with 4 films.

Ousmane Sembene Movies by Genre

  • Drama 7

Drama is the genre Ousmane Sembene has worked in most, with 7 films.

Ousmane Sembene Career Milestones

First film
Black Girl (1966) 1969
Biggest box office hit
Moolaadé $495K worldwide
Newest film
Moolaadé 2004
7 credits

Ousmane Sembene Filmography: Every Movie

Every film Ousmane Sembene is credited on, newest first, with the role, the box office and the Movie Echo Score. Re-order the list to see the best-rated films or the biggest hits first.

Biography

Who Is Ousmane Sembene?

Ousmane Sembene was born in Ziguinchor, Casamance, French West Africa in 1923. Credited on films since 1969, as a director. The background, training and the roles that shaped the career.

Born on 1st January 1923, Ousmane Sembene, was a Senegalese film director, producer, and writer who is widely recognized as the 'father of African film'. Aged 15, he moved to Dakar where he worked numerous manual labor jobs. During World War II, he served in the Free French Forces and after the war, he returned to Senegal. Meanwhile, Sembene participated in a long railroad strike in 1947, which he later based his seminal novel God's Bits of Wood (1960) on. Ousmane had a keen interest in the oppression of Arab and Spanish workers, xenophobia, and the mistreatment of African immigrants. In 1962, he studied filmmaking at Gorky Film Studio under Soviet director Mark Donskoy.

In 1963, he produced his first film, a short called Barom Sarret (The Wagoner). Meanwhile, in 1966 he produced his first feature film, La Noire de..., which won the Prix Jean Vigo, bringing immediate international attention to African film, and Sembene himself. Besides being a film director and producer, Sembene was also a credible author with seven of his ten published literary works translated into English. Additionally, he had a strong criticism for the corrupt African elites and the failing of religion. On the 9th of June 2007, at the age of 84, Sembene passed away in his home in Dakar, Senegal.

FAQ

Ousmane Sembene: Questions & Answers

How many movies Ousmane Sembene has made, the biggest hit, the best-rated film, the award record and more, answered from the filmography above.

How many movies has Ousmane Sembene been in?

Ousmane Sembene is credited on 7 films, from 1969 to 2004. All of them as a director. The filmography on this page lists every one of them, newest first, with the role and the Movie Echo Score.

What is Ousmane Sembene's highest-grossing movie?

Moolaadé (2004) is Ousmane Sembene's biggest box office hit, with $495K worldwide. Across every film with box office figures, Ousmane Sembene's movies have made $495K.

Ousmane Sembene's biggest hits

What is Ousmane Sembene's newest movie?

The most recent film on Ousmane Sembene's filmography is Moolaadé (2004), which Ousmane Sembene directed.

The Best Ousmane Sembene Movies, Ranked

Top rated, most awarded and biggest box office hits from 7 directing credits.

See the ranking

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