You are here:

The Game

Name: The Game
Director: Abderrahmane Sissako
Released: 1991
Duration: 23 min

Representation Score

3.3/10

Limited

1991

Director

Abderrahmane Sissako

Runtime

23 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Abderrahmane Sissako’s film is a powerful exploration of post-colonial identity, successfully centering West African perspectives to challenge Western-centric storytelling. It excels in its critique of global power dynamics and systemic disenfranchisement. However, the film’s social scope is narrow, focusing heavily on male-dominated spaces. This results in limited women's ability to drive the story and no representation of LGBTQ+ identities within the narrative. Ultimately, the work is a vital piece of cinema for its cultural authenticity and its ability to frame local struggles through a global, systemic lens.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does The Game have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film focuses on the social dynamics of young men in a West African setting. There are no explicit depictions of LGBTQ+ identities or non-straight relationships.

How does The Game portray gender?

Limited

The film's social landscape is predominantly male-focused, reflecting the specific gendered spaces of the protagonists. Women are sidelined and lack significant roles in driving the story.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Game?

Excellent

The film centers a Mauritanian cast to counter Anglo-centric storytelling. It offers substantial roles to characters dealing with the complexities of post-colonial conditions and systemic barriers.

How does The Game represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The story critiques Western-centric economic structures and colonial legacies. It portrays the characters' aimlessness as a result of global capitalist systems rather than personal failures.

Does The Game include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no prominent depictions of physical or neurodivergent disabilities that serve as central narrative drivers in this work.

Present on Screen

Provides an authentic Mauritanian perspective that counters Anglo-centric storytelling.
Offers a sophisticated critique of global capitalism and the restrictive nature of Western borders.
Grants high ability to act to characters navigating the complexities of the post-colonial condition.

Limited or Absent

Limited women's ability to drive the story due to a predominantly male-focused social landscape.
Absence of LGBTQ+ representation or non-straight relationships.
Lack of diverse depictions regarding physical or neurodivergent disabilities.

Official Synopsis

Ahmed’s father has only a day with his wife and son before he must return to war. With haunting, innocent cruelty, the children play games that mirror the adult world, leading them to discover the harshness of destiny

How are these scores produced? →