Product Details

• Actors: Alexandra Duah
• Directors: Haile Gerima
• Format: NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Myphedud Films, Inc.
• DVD Release Date: September 1, 2006
• Run Time: 125 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000Z74Z2C
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #40,981 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A maroon griots view of slavery, November 2, 2008

By 

Mark Harris "maroon griot" (eugene, oregon) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Sankofa (DVD)

Maroon is the Taino word for African - Native genetic and cultural hybrids. It means wild and free. A maroon, can be a former slave who creates a free and vital culture, not simply escapes slavery...This film weaves a number of African references and images...transforming the woman (wearing a blonde wig) who is allowing her image to be exploited by a descendant of the slavers, in a fashion photo shoot on the sands outside a slave fort. Admonished by Sankofa a griot, to find her roots...that she begins wearing African garb does not save her, and she is transported across the sea and time to the so-called new world in slavery...This film shows the reality of slavery in a brutally honest (the fatal whipping of a pregnant woman a case in point) way that Spielberg's Amistad never could. It also shows the historical resistance to slavery as represented by the maroons, ably portrayed by Mutaburuka's character...a must have for the serious student of a more real history than that portrayed by the "Columbus Discovered America, Christianity Civilized the Savages of Africa and America" narrative. This could clearly never be made by Hollywood, a must have like Julie Dash's "Daughters of the Dust". While one must have some background to pick up on the nuances,,,like maroons, like Goree and the door of no return, the relationship between weaponized (Romanized) Christianity and slavery and colonization, and its start differences with Indigenous African forms of Spirituality (Which include pre-racist, pre-sexist, pre-homophobic forms of Christianity), are made clear, leaving it open for the viewer to make their own conclusions.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This movie is an African American classic worth owning!, January 18, 2009

By 

V. Randall (Phoenix, AZ) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sankofa (DVD) (DVD)

I watched this movie in the 90's and convinced my family to watch it, as well. Movie is well-told and heart felt. It convinced me to begin researching and documenting my own family tree. Thus far, I've researched back to my great great grandparents! As far as I know I'm the first,in my family, to commit it to writing.

I encourage anyone, especially of African American descent, to not only watch this movie but own it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Riveting, October 27, 2008

By 

Dafina S. Braithwaite "Movie/Film Connoisseur" (Riverdale, Georgia United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Sankofa (DVD)

This is not a mere film; it is an eye opening experience and a window to the past. Anyone who has a history intertwined with Slavery (which is everyone) should see this film. This film will give sight to the blind forgetful, insight to the unaware and a renewed sense of pride to those who remember.

Sankofa (DVD)