Sarah Maldoror

Through a Lens of Resistance and Rebellion

Join us for an evening celebrating the trailblazing filmmaker and activist Sarah Maldoror. Honoring her legacy, the Archive presents three powerful and stylistically distinct films that reflect her deep commitment to anti-colonial struggle.

SARAH MALDOROR: THROUGH A LENS OF RESISTANCE AND REBELLION

May 10, 2025 @ 7:30 PM
Billy Wilder Theater (at HAMMER MUSEUM) – Admission is FREE

Celebrate the revolutionary spirit and visionary artistry of Sarah Maldoror, a trailblazing filmmaker whose works brought African liberation, diasporic identity, and anti-colonial struggle to the screen with unparalleled power and grace. This special screening honors her life and legacy through three strikingly different films that together showcase her fearless storytelling and unflinching political vision.

FEATURED FILMS

➤ Et les chiens se taisaient (And the Dogs Kept Silent, 1978)
A mother’s haunting plea to save her rebellious son unfolds in the storerooms of the Musée de l'Homme, surrounded by looted African art. A poetic and visually daring adaptation of Aimé Césaire’s play.
13 min | French with English subtitles | Restored DCP

➤ Un dessert pour Constance (Dessert for Constance, 1981)
A bold comedy where a discarded cookbook leads Parisian trash workers on a subversive quest to reclaim agency and rewrite their own narratives.
52 min | French with English subtitles | Restored DCP

➤ Carnaval dans le Sahel (Carnival in Sahel, 1979)
An intimate, vibrant glimpse into Cape Verde’s Carnival. With no narration, this visual poem celebrates cultural pride and resistance.
15 min | Color | Restored DCP
Sarah Maldoror’s work continues to inspire new generations of artists, activists, and audiences. Join us in rediscovering her cinematic legacy—through resistance, through rebellion, through film.

Click here for more info!

Q&A with producer and distributor Annouchka de Andrade, daughter of Maldoror, and UCLA Associate Professor Ellen C. Scott

Community partners: Consulate General of France in Los Angeles, Platform UCLA, UCLA African Studies Center, UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television.

Published: Monday, April 28, 2025