Statues Also Die (1953)

  • NR
  • 05/01/1953 (FR)
  • Documentary
  • 30m

Overview

Commissioned by the journal Présence Africaine, this short documentary examines how African art is devalued and alienated through colonial and museum contexts. Beginning with the question of why African works are confined to ethnographic displays while Greek or Egyptian art is celebrated, the film became a landmark of anti-colonial cinema and was banned in France for eight years.

Chris Marker

Director, Writer

Alain Resnais

Director

Ghislain Cloquet

Director

Cast

Jean Négroni's headshot

Jean Négroni

Narrator (voice)
François Mitterrand's headshot

François Mitterrand

Self (archive footage)
Pope Pius XII's headshot

Pope Pius XII

Self (archive footage)
Sugar Ray Robinson's headshot

Sugar Ray Robinson

Self (archive footage)

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