Black Girl

film by Sembène

Also known as: “La Noire de…”

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June 22, 2026

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Black Girl (La Noire de...) is a 1966 film by Senegalese director Ousmane Sembène. It is considered the first major film produced by an African filmmaker.1

The film tells the story of an illiterate young woman from Dakar who is hired as a servant by a French family. It depicts her subsequent virtual enslavement and the harsh realities she faces in a new country.1

Black Girl won a major prize at the 1967 Cannes International Film Festival. Sembène, a writer and filmmaker, was known for his historical and political themes, aiming to reach a broad African audience through his work.1

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Ousmane Sembène
…feature film, La Noire de…(Black Girl), was considered the first major film produced by an African filmmaker. It depicts the virtual enslavement of an illiterate girl from Dakar employed as a servant by a French family. The film won a major prize at the 1967 Cannes international film festival.
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…feature film, La Noire de…(Black Girl), was considered the first major film produced by an African filmmaker. It depicts the virtual enslavement of an illiterate girl from Dakar employed as a servant by a French family. The film won a major prize at the 1967 Cannes international film festival.
Read More