35 shots of Rum
Dir. Claire Denis | Cast: Alex Descas, Mati Diop, Nicole Dogue | 2008
5 Nov | Rich Mix, London
Inspired by memories of parental love, 35 shots of rum explores the bond between a Black Parisian father and his daughter at a moment of significant change.
More than an ode to father-daughter bonds, the film meditates on the loneliness of the immigrant experience through an Ozu-esque exploration of the stillness of everyday life.
35 shots of rum was selected due to its collection of characters. director claire denis refused to state her characters’ heritage. they could be from africa, the caribbean or both. one thing is true though, each and every character represents a specific immigrant experience from the first-gen immigrant who is lost without their work to the second-gen who is trying to escape the life that was once their parent’s dream.
we see desire, loneliness, community and happiness, and the bitter-sweet realisation that everything ends, even the lives that were hard-built. Would you recognise the signs to let go?
Paris, A Diaspora Melting pot
Because of its colonial legacy, France has been at the centre of Black diasporic cultural dispersal. This legacy birthed the Negritude Movement and housed African American intellectuals looking for reprieve from the limitations of American life. The Negritude Movement’s ideas of Black identity and the decolonization of the mind impacted the art that flowed from the Francophone Black diaspora. From the poetry of Aimé Césaire and Léopold Sédar Senghor to the films of Med Hondo and Ousmane Sembéne, the impact of these movements on black cultural Identity is profound and immeasurable. Alongside the growth of Black intellectualism, France incubated the development of the modern sounds of Africa and its diaspora. From Haitian zouk to Congolese soukous, the sounds of the Black diaspora have been shaped by France’s black citizenry and its immigrant population.The story of Black France has been well documented in film, art, poetry, and music. Using 35 Shots of Rum as the jump-off point, I hope you’ll engage with these works of art and appreciate the interconnected histories of the Francophone Black diaspora. Aimé Césaire
a Martinican poet, playwright, and politician, who was cofounder of the Negritude Movement. Léopold Sédar Senghor
A poet, teacher, and statesman, the first president of Senegal, and a cofounder and major proponent of the of Negritude Movement. During his studies in Paris in 1928 Leopold Senghor discovered the unmistakable imprint of African art on modern painting, sculpture, and music, which confirmed his belief in Africa’s potential contribution to modern culture. Med Hondo
A Mauritanian-born French director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. Med Hondo is is known for his controversial films dealing with issues such as race relations and colonization and is considered as a of the founding father of African cinema. Ousmane Sembéne
A Senegalese writer and film director known for his historical and political themes. He was darfted into the French army during World War II, and remained in France after demobilization. Sembène taught himself to read and write in French and in 1956 published his first novel. Around 1960 Ousmane Sembène developed interest in film as a means to reach a larger African audience who did not understand French. music
Salif Keita
Salif Keita a Mali.an singer-songwriter is known for blending elements of a wide range of local African ( especially Mande) music traditions with jazz, rhythm and blues, and other international popular-music styles to pioneer the Afropop dance-music genre.Yseult
Yseult a French singer song-writer and model born to cameroonian patents.She makes music several genres that include: alternative R&B, R&B, pop, neo-soul, trap, post-punk and electro.