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Xala

Play trailer Poster for Xala 1975 2h 0m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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91% Tomatometer 11 Reviews 63% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
Senegal has finally won independence from France and the white members of the Chamber of Commerce have been thrown out. The people's revolution of "African Socialism" begins as the black businessmen fill those empty seats, only to take enormous bribes that ensure the whites will secretly remain in power. One of these businessmen celebrates by marrying a third wife, but on the day of the wedding he finds he's contracted the curse of Xala, rendering him impotent.
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Xala

Critics Reviews

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Richard Brody The New Yorker 05/27/2019
Sembène depicts a corrupt system that replaced white dictators and profiteers with black ones; the symbolic ending, a glimmer of revolutionary hope, is as gratifying as it is implausible. Go to Full Review Gary Arnold Washington Post 05/09/2017
The major problem with the film is that the exposition is not nearly as clever as the premise. After warming to the idea behind the movie, one tends to cool off as it trudges toward a resolution. Go to Full Review Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times 10/22/2007
3/4
It's very much worth seeing. Go to Full Review Scott Nye Battleship Pretension 06/18/2024
...Sembène isn’t concern with subtlety; he’s taking too much pleasure in tightening the screws. Go to Full Review Mattie Lucas From the Front Row 06/18/2024
In Xala, the powers that be in Senegal have lost sight of the revolutionary fervor felt in Emitaï , and through Sembène's acerbic lens, that once glittering promise becomes little more than a bitter joke. Go to Full Review Dennis Harvey 48 Hills 03/04/2024
Xala's sharp indictments—whether primarily dramatic or comic—still sting, despite (or perhaps because of) their usual surface of even-toned social realism. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Leaburn O 06/27/2023 Somehow, this Senegalese comedy from the 70s is regarded by both Empire and the BBC as one of the top 100 foreign language films ever. It really isn't even if it has a memorable final scene. See more dustin d 06/27/2017 Xala is loving treatment of Senegalese society with a scathing commentary on the ineptitude of its government, mirrored in the comical impotence of the film's main character. A funny movie that also feels as real as a documentary. Forgive some of the technical errors (like the mike boom shadow on the wall). See more 08/15/2016 Smart and satirical, although some of it (in particular, the ending) is a little hard to watch. See more 08/07/2016 The version I saw had very poor subtitles with a good chunk of lines not being subtitled. See more 08/11/2014 A successful businessman with political connections becomes impotent and searches desperately for a cure, as the disabled go begging, as peasants suffer from drought. The revolution against colonialism must be extended to revolution against patriarchy, and to the revolution against capitalism. See more 02/21/2014 omg..on that ending..right..? See more Read all reviews
Xala

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Cast & Crew

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Ousmane Sembene

Director

Thierno Leye

Hadji Aboucader Beye

Seune Samb

Adja Assatu

Younouss Seye

Aram

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Xala

Xala (1975) Xala (1975) Xala (1975) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Senegal has finally won independence from France and the white members of the Chamber of Commerce have been thrown out. The people's revolution of "African Socialism" begins as the black businessmen fill those empty seats, only to take enormous bribes that ensure the whites will secretly remain in power. One of these businessmen celebrates by marrying a third wife, but on the day of the wedding he finds he's contracted the curse of Xala, rendering him impotent.
Director
Ousmane Sembene
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
French (France)
Runtime
2h 0m
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