Moolaadé

Title: Moolaadé (Magical protection)

Director: Ousmane Sembène

Writer: Ousmane Sembène

Year: 2004

Running time: 120 minutes

Country: Burkina Faso and France

Plot summary:

Moolaadé ("magical protection") is a 2004 African feature film by Senegalese director Ousmane Sembène. It addresses the subject of female genital cutting or mutilation, a common practice in a number of African countries, especially nations immediately south of the Sahara Desert. The film is a co-production between companies from several Francophone nations: Senegal, France, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Morocco and Tunisia. It was filmed in the remote village of Djerrisso, Burkina Faso.

The film is set in a village in Burkina Faso. The film argues strongly against the practice, depicting a village woman, Colle, who uses moolaadé (magical protection) to protect a group of girls. She is opposed by the villagers who believe in the necessity of circumcision, which they call purification.

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