Ceddo

A kidnapped princess becomes a bargaining chip in Ousmane Sembène's critique of religious imperialism.

Historical epic Ceddo remains Ousmane Sembène’s most controversial film, strongly indicting both Islam and Christianity and showcasing the traditional African religion that came before them.

Set in an unspecified period between the 17th and 19th centuries, the film focuses on the Ceddo – ‘the people of refusal’ who rejected a regime that has become complicit in the rise of Islamic fanaticism, and the slow but lasting spread of slavery and Euro-American colonialism. ‘Ceddo’ was the name given to the holders of African spiritualism before it became tinged with Islam or Christianity. When villagers sense that their traditional religion is being threatened by white traders and missionaries, they kidnap Princess Dior and demand an immediate change in the management of the political system.

– Keith Shiri, Curator