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Hyenas

Name: Hyenas
Director: Djibril Diop Mambéty
Released: 1992
Duration: 110 min

Representation Score

4.9/10

Fair

1992

Not Rated

Director

Djibril Diop Mambéty

Runtime

110 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Hyenas is a sophisticated work of African postmodernism that deconstructs communal morality through a fragmented, allegorical narrative. It excels by centering West African life and subverting Eurocentric storytelling norms. The film’s primary strength lies in its refusal to cater to a Western perspective, prioritizing indigenous social dynamics and linguistic nuances. It uses a female protagonist to challenge traditional gender hierarchies and patriarchal power. However, the film lacks representation for LGBTQ+ identities and does not address disability. The narrative remains focused on the intersection of gender, race, and the impact of globalized materialism.

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Category Breakdown

Does Hyenas have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film centers on traditional marriage and communal structures, with no clear representation of LGBTQ+ characters or non-binary gender identities.

How does Hyenas portray gender?

Excellent

Xoumbeïsa uses her economic power to manipulate the village, disrupting traditional gender roles and challenging the expectation of female passivity.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Hyenas?

Excellent

The film features an all-Black cast in rural Senegal, asserting a non-Western perspective and emphasizing indigenous social dynamics.

How does Hyenas represent religion and culture?

Excellent

It examines how capitalist expansion and the pursuit of wealth undermine traditional spiritual values, showing how greed reshapes local ethics.

Does Hyenas include disability representation?

Minimal

The film does not focus on visible or invisible disabilities. Characters are defined by their socioeconomic status and their place in the village's moral code.

Present on Screen

Provides a powerful, non-Western representation of West African life through an all-Black cast.
Uses the protagonist's economic power to challenge traditional gender roles and expectations of female passivity.
Offers a strong critique of how capitalism and greed affect traditional social fabrics.

Limited or Absent

Lacks representation of LGBTQ+ characters or non-binary gender identities.
Does not address visible or invisible disabilities within the character studies.

Official Synopsis

A now-rich woman returns to her poor desert hometown to propose a deal to the populace: her fortune, in exchange for the death of the man who years earlier abandoned her and left her with his child.

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