"Afrique 50" was actually the first movie by a young French filmmaker in his early 20s. René Vautier probably did not go on to become one of the most famous French directors of the second half of the 20th century, but possibly one of the most influential. This 17-minute black-and-white movie is a loud statement against French colonization in the Ivory Coast or against colonization in general. He openly criticizes the way the colonialists exploit the cheap African workforce in order to satisfy their need for greed and profit. It depicts the inhuman conditions under which Ivorians have to do their work every single day. I thought this was a pretty moving and informative short film and I applaud Vautier for the courage to make this film. He died in January this year, 65 years after this film was made and I am sure there are other interesting pieces in his body of work. As for "Afrique 50", I recommend it. Make sure you have subtitles if you aren't fluent in French. Vautier's narration is very fast.
Review of Afrique 50
