I've watched numerous movies with Africa as a setting, (Dogs of War, Out of Africa, Mister Johnson, Tears of the Sun, etc), and they always have that thing to them...you know, Africans as the suffering ignoramuses, waiting for their foreign heroes to rescue them from the throes of oppression and poverty . Even the supposedly shown "cultural parts" depict a sort of primitive tinge to them--There's no traditional richness, and no pizzaz, just a facet of sub-human unintelligence. In hollywood movies, Africa is the suffering, war-mangled, and hungry country, either naively waiting to be taken advantaged of by money seeking conspirators, or dying and crying for freedom from oppression.

Not trying to sugar-coat our real problems, because Africa has issues. But is that all we're really made of ? Why do the movies potray us like this--we all know we're made of sterner, more brilliant and lovely stuff also.

Anyone feeling my annoyance over this wahala?

Everything you have observed is a product of hollywood's attempt to entertain - there is no central agenda to portray Africa in a certain way. Movies are not meant to portray the realities of life - they are meant to be entertaining, so they can sell millions of copies, and sometimes you have to twist reality [/b]a little bit in order to entertain people.

No, I do [b]not feel annoyed, because we are free to create our own movies and protray Europeans and Americans however we like, too!

Although you are 100% correct about the underlying motivations, this portrayal is not as innocent as it seems. The continued use of stereotypes in movies gives the more gullible part of the audience (the majority) the impression that these portrayals are accurate, especially when a group external to their immediate life circle is portrayed, because they cannot see the nuance in the lives of these strangers.

This image perpetuates commonly held stereotypes and reinforces certain racist attitudes. Attitudes that they are usually not even aware of. This has a profound effect on how Africans are treated and regarded in the diaspora

And using distortion to fight distortion is not really the answer either. The fake image of Europe in many African minds is doing already enough damage

nferyn:

Although you are 100% correct about the underlying motivations, this portrayal is not as innocent as it seems. The continued use of stereotypes in movies gives the more gullible part of the audience (the majority) the impression that these portrayals are accurate, especially when a group external to their immediate life circle is portrayed, because they cannot see the nuance in the lives of these strangers.

This image perpetuates commonly held stereotypes and reinforces certain racist attitudes. Attitudes that they are usually not even aware of. This has a profound effect on how Africans are treated and regarded in the diaspora

And using distortion to fight distortion is not really the answer either. The fake image of Europe in many African minds is doing already enough damage

Nne nwannem(i.e, my dear sister),

I feel your anger and even when they use an 'African' in their movies, it's always one with some fake, generic African

accent. As for potraying Africa in a positive light, YEAH RIGHT!!! How else would they sell the continued stereotype of

'give £2 a month' do you want their charities to be out of business?!!. The African has a lot to offer, we just haven't

come together to make it happen and Hollywood will not help our cause because it will not profit them to do so. so yes

my sister, they perpetuate the stereotype to make sure the African subconsciously sees himself as inferior and therefore

doesn't bother to try too hard. Look at Ancient Egypt: the day we present-day Africans rise up, OG'ADI EGWU! (It will be, for want of a better word, GREAT)

For this reason, the oyibo man will not let this happen; he will use every means to keep us thinking 'native' so that the

status quo remains as it is.

Thats what they see on CNN, by the way the average African feels interior to the 'white man'! makes me sick, but thats the way it is. A wise person once said, the way you look at yourself is the way others will look at you! It's a social cancer. . .

I saw on DVD a film called Only in America it was a disappointing film about a Nigerian man who lives in America , parents arrive from Nigeria to meet his American wife , the film is meant to be funny and it was suppose portray a clash of two cultures it is a disgraceful , insulting and immature film who would want to watch such crap of a film.