1980 – Senegalese Film “Ceddo” Banned in France

On June 3, 1980, the French government formally banned the Senegalese film Ceddo, directed by Ousmane Sembène, one of Africa’s greatest filmmakers. The film criticized colonialism, forced religious conversion, and the manipulation of traditional African society. The ban was imposed under the pretext of a bureaucratic spelling error in the film\’s title, though the real motive was its political message. The censorship reflected France’s ongoing struggle to reckon with its colonial past and the power of African storytelling. Sembène later called the move a form of \”cultural assassination.\” The date is a stark reminder of how African voices were often suppressed even after formal independence. June 3 marks a turning point in the global recognition of African cinema as a tool for historical reclamation and resistance.