Camp de Thiaroye

Banned for a decade in France, Ousmane Sembène's film is a powerful indictment of French Colonial rule that's based on true events.

Winner of the Special Jury Prize at Venice 1988, this uncompromising historical epic tells the story of Senegalese WWII veterans who were betrayed under French colonial rule.

Senegal, 1944. African infantry soldiers who valiantly fought in Europe against the Nazis must now be paid and repatriated to their countries. They arrive at the Thiaroye marshaling camp, on the outskirts of Dakar. But the veterans soon realize that they will be paid much less than they were promised. The men rebel, but this will not stop the retaliation that awaits them at the hands of French forces.

A searing story with brilliant performances, Camp de Thiaroye chronicles history that should not be forgotten.

– Keith Shiri, Curator