Sia : The film

This film uses a multitude of techniques that can be analyzed with the. There were a couple of scenes from the African film Sia that I would like to point out. From the beginning of the film until the end, or fin in Spanish, the director did an excellent job of establishing and maintaining the setting with the use of sound. There were many scenes with drums, and other instruments that are popular in Africa. An interesting aspect of sound is that the absence of it can be just as effective in a scene as the presence of it. There were some scenes that were bright and loud, and others were quiet and dark. The use of sound and lighting together throughout the film gave the film a rhythm.



There was a scene where Mamadi who was the fiancee of Sia was to be notified after the sacrifice had already been made. This shows that there was no reasoning when it came to a decree that was made by the emperor. Balla, on behalf of the emperor delivered news to Sia's parents about what was about to happen to their daughter. The lighting was a powerful tool used in this scene because it was very dark, and the sound of crickets in the background also added an element. The literal "darkness" in this scene is used to further illustrate the figurative "darkness" of this terrible news that was given to Sia's parents about her being a living sacrifice. Fatou who is Sia's mother was very upset and hysterical after hearing the news however her father remained strong and was convinced that honor ruled over all else. This part of the film stood out to me because I think it reminded me of the difference in the perspective of father versus mother. Men usually are full of pride, while on the other hand women are filled with emotion. This scene perpetuates this theory...


Editing is one of the most useful tools for a director of a film because it gives them the ability to create pace, timing, humor, and suspense. There is another scene of a barber that cutting hair. Well, in the barber shop there is a man from the neighborhood who starts remarking about Sia and how she ran away from home after overhearing plans of her being slain as a sacrifice. The barber responds to the man and tells him that he doesn't blame her for running away, and that he doesn't condone heinous crimes. The man from the neighborhood then cuts off the barber and tells him to be quiet, and stop talking about it because the emperor has ears everywhere. The barber becomes really aggressive and loud, and tells the other man that he will "Let Wakhane come and get him then because he will NEVER, NEVER EVER bite his tongue when it comes to supporting murder." Then as soon as he finished talking he looks over his shoulder, and the scene immediately flashes to a new shot. This was hilarious to me because I felt as though the swift change in scenes was to emphasize the point at which the barber looked over his shoulder even though he just got through making such a bold speech about not being afraid.

Welcome to my blog Karibu!

Hello all! I want to thank you for taking the time visit the blog : Karibu! The title of my blog is a swahili word for "welcome." This blog will be dedicated to academic analysis and crtiques of African film and Literature. Enjoy!

-Liz Renchee