President of Alliance Française, Pierre Lemaire (right), jokes with Rhena Williams (left) and veteran actress Leonie Forbes at the opening ceremony of the 32nd Francophone Film Festival, 12B Lilford Avenue, St Andrew. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

The sixth night of the Francophone Film Festival being held at Alliance Française, was titled 'Nuit de la Negritude' ('Negritude Night'). Thus the two films, (Aimé Césaire: Au Rendez-vous de la Conquete (Where the Edges of Conquest Meet) and Leopold Sedar Senghor: Un Long Poème Rythmé (A Long Rhythmic Poem) shown at the Aliance Française on Monday night, were centered on two of the persons to have created the concept 'Negritude'. They are Aimé Césaire and Leopold Sedar Senghor, fellow students who met in France; both from French colonies, Martinique (Césaire) and Senegal (Senghor).

Where the Edges of Conquest Meet was the first film on the evening's programme, at 12B Lilford Avenue, St Andrew. But while the content was informative, providing an insight into Césaire's philosophy and political views, the style was mundane. As expected with a documentary film, Euzhan Palcy's approach was to centre the film on interviews with Césaire and others.

Despite the narrator, who speaks in English, it can be a challenge for non-speakers of French, who must focus not only on the subtitles but keep abreast of the names of the interviewees.

On the other hand, Where The Edges of Conquest Meet provided a great segue to Leopold Sedar Senghor: Un Long Poème Rythmé.

A Long Rhythmic Poem, written by Beatrice Souté, is just that and more. It is a masterpiece in creativity. Along with using extracts from Senghor's works, she employed the use of a rap artiste, students in a history class and a choir to "exalt" Senghor as a poet, a politician and a philosopher.

The film begins with young Senegalese students learning by rote the birth date of Senghor, October 5, 1905. This time reference was later repeated in another scene, where the emphasis was on the year Senghor became the first African President of Senegal.

captivating

But, it is Souté's use of the rap artiste Aadou Barry, her selections of Senghor's poems and the progression of the poems that is the most captivating aspect of the film.

Barry's first reading was regular (surely intentional), but after reading Senghor's philosophy that poems have rhythm, the complexion of the reading changes to rap. Not only did this contemporary technique inject intensity; it also provided "vitality and illuminates" the appropriate emotions at the injustice meted out to black Senegalese, such as that detailed in the poem Congo.

Aimé Césaire

The film takes the audience on a historical journey of Senghor's life, from childhood to adulthood, his philosophy, contribution to Senegal and his love.

Senghor was born in Joal in Senegal. His father was a businessman and belonged to the minority bourgeoisie Serer tribe. According to the Senegalese culture children were raised in their mother's tradition, so as a child Senghor would go herding with his maternal relatives. But at the age of seven his father sent him to a predominantly white boarding school in Dakar.

Later he went to France, where he fought in the army, studied and met Léon Damas and Aimé Césaire, and they created the concept 'Negritude', an intellectual movement that asserts that Africa, Africans or Black in general is not inferior to European and her offshoots.

first school of dance

In the 'Arte' the audience learns that as the first President of Senegal he had the first school of dance constructed. One fascinating image in the scene is the long poles strategically placed in the schoolyard to depict dancers in motion.

In the poems Nom-ness and Princess from Letters of the Season, Dhivenage, Senghor speaks of his love for his wife, a Frenchwoman.

Other works featured in Un Long Poème Rythmé are La Belle Histoire de Leuk-le-Lievre, Oeuvre Poètique, Textes Liberté I, II, III, IV, V and Pierre Teiland Chadin.

Senegal is not one of the well-known African countries in Anglophone countries such as Jamaica. Lesser known, except among some academics, is Leopold Sedar Senghor. But in Senegal the children recite his history and choirs sing his words.