My first Côte d’Ivoire film and all I can say is that I am in awe for catching this in 4K via Mubi.
Despite being set in 1960s Abidjan, LA FEMME AU COUTEAU reminded me of my previous Senegal watch, BOROM SARRET — there’s something so otherwordly about sharp, crisp restored footage of Black & White Africa.
The film itself was rather interesting as it opens with a satirical take of Alfred Hitchcock’s infamous shower scene from PSYCHO and then devolves into a sureallist journey of one man’s inner turmoil due to the appearance of a female spirit that pits his European sensibilities against his former African belief systems. Hints of postcolonial themes are also cleverly enclosed. The ending, however, was devoid of any worthwhile payoff to the audience.
My first Côte d’Ivoire film and all I can say is that I am in awe for catching this in 4K via Mubi.
Despite being set in 1960s Abidjan, LA FEMME AU COUTEAU reminded me of my previous Senegal watch, BOROM SARRET — there’s something so otherwordly about sharp, crisp restored footage of Black & White Africa.
The film itself was rather interesting as it opens with a satirical take of Alfred Hitchcock’s infamous shower scene from PSYCHO and then devolves into a sureallist journey of one man’s inner turmoil due to the appearance of a female spirit that pits his European sensibilities against his former African belief systems. Hints of postcolonial themes are also cleverly enclosed. The ending, however, was devoid of any worthwhile payoff to the audience.
