Ousmane Sembène - Emitai (1971)

During World War II in the Casamance, the story centers on a Diola (Jola) village confronted by French colonial authorities who are attempting to forcibly requisition rice to supply the colonial army. The men of the village are conscripted or imprisoned, while the women take the lead in resisting the colonial demands. Guided by tradition, collective solidarity, and spiritual beliefs centered on Emitai, the supreme god, the community organizes a silent but determined opposition to colonial power. As pressure increases, the French administration responds with repression, violence, and executions in an effort to break the villagers' resistance. Despite suffering and loss, the community maintains its dignity and unity, turning resistance into an act of collective faith and political defiance.