Black Consciousness Analysis

I seek to investigate how a cinema of Black Consciousness can draw from Black Consciousness’ radical philosophical and ideological stunts, in order to exist as an expression of a cultural revolution in the minds of the black population, to be a revolution for self-love for blackness, for identity and revolution for cultural as well as a political assertion. It is worth quoting Biko to clarify further the approach that this theoretical paradigm will take “I must emphasise the cultural depth of Black Consciousness. The recognition of the depth of white invincibility forces Blacks to ask the question: ‘who am I?’ ‘Who are we?’ And the fundamental answer we give is: ‘people are people’ (Zylastra in Gibson, 1988:15). From this context I will analyse

In investigating further I will seek to analyze if a cinema of Black Consciousness is the solution. Cinema of Black Consciousness will derive its features from those of Third World Cinema: “(1) decolonize the mind; (2) contribute to the development of a radical consciousness; (3) lead to a revolutionary transformation of society; (4) develop a film language with which to accomplish these tasks” (Ukadike, 1994:7). Third World Cinema is the movement of cinema as a liberator of the oppressed; this is where Black Consciousness comes in, the mental liberation of the oppressed. Here I intend to examine if there is any relationship between Black Consciousness, Third World Cinema and a cinema of Black

He indicates that the African governments have indeed recognized and appreciated cinema as a tool for promoting traditional cultures; however, they have failed to promote it. Nor have they tried to see cinema as a resourceful material that is worth investing in. As a result, filmmakers in Africa are faced with “complexities of economic, political and psychological subordination” (Ukadike, 1994:3). Nonetheless, Yearwood (1999) argues that black filmmakers should use expressive forms and systems of significance that reflect the cultural and historical priorities of the black experiences. Yearwood (1999) substantiates his argument by stating that African-Americans’ expressive cinema utilizes its own vernacular space and time for storytelling and what works in their favour is both this and how the film narration of African American cinema draws on the formal structures of black experience to organize story material. My main focus is here is analysing how a cinema of Black Consciousness can exist as a tool for promoting traditional cultures and reflecting cultural and historical priorities of South