Tajouj: dir Gadalla Gubara (1977)

The first feature film to be directed by a Sudanese filmmaker, this historical romance tells of the beautiful Tajouj whose cousin publicly declares his love for her in a song. The traditions of the tribe decry such an act and his proposal of marriage is initially refused – but he apologises, and the marriage is finally allowed. In the meantime, however, another suitor has appeared with tragic consequences …

Screens as part of a monthly film programme in Efie’s Rekord Gallery tracing the intertwined histories of African and Arab Liberation Cinema: “through a carefully curated selection of films, the series interrogates how revolutionary aesthetics, political struggle, and the diasporic imagination have shaped, and continue to shape, the language of cinema across continents”. It’s organised with Bootleg Griot, an independent public library project currently ensconced in the Rekord Gallery that is aimed at improving access to literature and print media – especially from writers and collectives of African descent.