The Presentation of Religion in popular West-African Video Films and their Impact on the Society

Exposé Écrit pour un Séminaire / Cours , 2008 , 14 Pages , Note: 1,0

Ethnologie / Anthropologie Culturelle

Since the 1990’s West-African video films enjoy increasing popularity, especially those produced in Ghana and Nigeria. They are an important part of modern African popular culture and have often displaced Hollywood films.
These films cover a wide spectrum of different genres. They range from comedy, romance and horror to religious films. Often the various genres are mixed but all of the films got something in common: They reflect the modern urban life in contemporary western Africa and are an account of the current process of social change in many societies.
This paper mainly concentrates on religious films, especially those produced by charismatic Pentecostal Churches.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
• An overview: Nigerian and Ghanaian Religious Video-Films
• Main Issues and Structures of Popular Religious Films
• Main Religious Characters
  • Pastors
  • Traditional Religious Characters
    • Traditional Priests
    • Traditional Chiefs
    • Mami Water
  • Other Characters
• The Perceptions of the Audience and of the Producers
  • The Audience
  • The Producers
• Conclusion: The Film in the Context of African Societies

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This paper explores the presentation of religion in popular West-African video films and their impact on society. It aims to provide an overview of the history of Ghanaian and Nigerian films, focusing on religious films produced by charismatic Pentecostal Churches. The paper examines the structure and main issues of these films, including the portrayal of religious characters, the perception of the audience and producers, and the potential impact on society.

• The role of religion in West-African popular culture
• The portrayal of religious characters in West-African video films
• The impact of religious films on the perception of traditional religious practices
• The influence of Pentecostal Christianity on the film industry
• The relationship between religious films and social change in West-African societies

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The introduction provides context for the study, outlining the popularity of West-African video films and their significance in modern African popular culture. It highlights the focus on religious films, particularly those produced by Pentecostal churches.

Chapter 2 presents an overview of the film industry in Ghana and Nigeria, comparing their similarities and differences. It examines the development of the industry, the influence of democratization, and the impact of technological advancements.

Chapter 3 explores the main themes and structures of popular religious films in West Africa. It highlights the dualistic fight between good and evil forces, the portrayal of traditional religious figures as evil, and the demonization of local religious traditions.

Chapter 4 analyzes the presentation of religious characters in popular video films, focusing on pastors and traditional religious figures. It examines the role of pastors in Pentecostal Christianity, the portrayal of traditional priests, chiefs, and Mami Water, and the representation of other characters in the films.

Chapter 5 discusses the perceptions of the audience and producers of popular religious video films. It explores the reasons behind the popularity of these films and the role of the film industry in shaping perceptions of religion and society.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

West-African video films, religious films, Pentecostal Christianity, traditional religion, social change, popular culture, film industry, audience perception, producer influence.

• Université: University of Bayreuth
• Cours: Religion and Media in selected West-African Countries
• Note: 1,0
• Auteur: Neele Siebers (Auteur)
• Année de publication: 2008
• Pages: 14
• N° de catalogue: V144285
• ISBN (ebook): 9783640548019
• ISBN (Livre): 9783640551385
• Langue: anglais
• mots-clé: Ghana, Nigeria, Pentecostal Churches, Horrorfilms