Katanga is a powerful, Afro-noir thriller from one of Africa’s most celebrated filmmakers.
For more than 50 years, Burkina Faso has been an important hub of Africa’s rich arthouse film scene, and director Dani Kouyaté is one of its biggest names. His newest film, Katanga: The Dance of the Scorpions, is an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the timeless and universal story of power, political intrigue, and ambition. The film is rendered in black and white, and the actors speak Mooré, one of the dominant languages in Burkina Faso. After a failed conspiracy against the crown, King Pazouknaam names his cousin Katanga as head of the armed forces. Pushed by his ambitious wife, Katanga kills the king and takes the throne—and then there is no deed too low to keep his grip on power. In Mooré with English subtitles. (113 mins., 4K DCP)
IMAGE CAPTION
Katanga: The Dance of Scorpions, courtesy of the filmmaker.
Read more
Tag(s)
Program Support
The event is supported by an Ohio State Arts and Humanities Large Grant from the College of Arts and Sciences and cosponsored by the School of Music and Department of African American and African Studies.
FILM/VIDEO PROGRAMS MADE POSSIBLE BY
National Endowment for the Arts
Ohio Humanities
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY
Rohauer Collection Foundation
WEXNER CENTER PROGRAMS MADE POSSIBLE BY
Greater Columbus Arts Council
The Wexner Family
Institute of Museum and Library Services
Mellon Foundation
Every Page Foundation
Ohio Arts Council, with support from the National Endowment for the Arts
CampusParc
Nationwide Foundation
Ohio State’s Global Arts + Humanities Discovery Theme
The Columbus Foundation
Axium Packaging
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY
Ohio State Energy Partners
Ohio History Fund/Ohio History Connection
David Crane and Elizabeth Dang
Melissa Gilliam and William Grobman
Rebecca Perry Damsen and Ben Towle
Close
Katanga: The Dance of the Scorpions