Esmeraldan Urban Cinema: Towards a Cinematic Africanicity of the Afro-Ecuadorian Diaspora Páginas

Abstract

In this article we work with Stuart Hall’s theory of the “Afro diaspora” and Boulou Ebanda de B’béri’s concept of “Africanicity” to analyze three films of the Esmeraldan urban cinema: Raíces del Pacífico, Mitos afro 1 and Sueños 1. These films depict the experience of the Afro-Esmeraldan and Afro-Ecuadorean people, populations historically neglected by the elite architects of Ecuatorianness. What we have gleaned from this study is that unlike other sectors of Ecuadorian underground cinema, which tend to make sicario, western, action and religious movies, Afro-Esmeraldan cinema focuses mainly on the myths and legends of its native culture. And what is noteworthy is that these mythologies are not like fairytales set in the distant past. Rather, these Esmeraldan filmmakers draw on folklore to make it relevant for the current era, thus updating these myths as something productive. The theoretical tools of De B’béri and Hall are used to situate these films historically, as much of Esmeraldan urban cinema draws on oral tradition. Thus, these makers use traditional Esmeraldan music and Afro-Ecuadorian rap music as a means of identity formation two characteristics that we see much of in these three films. Methodologically, we draw on the theoretical frameworks of Hall and De B’béri, as well as interviews with practitioners of Esmeraldan urban cinema, to do textual analysis of these three films.