Paper short abstract:

This paper provides a critical analysis of the documentary " Maputo: Ethnography of a divided city" (2015, produced by João Graça e Fábio Ribeiro) with regards methodological and ethical questions raised by film making in and on urban Africa.

Paper long abstract:

On the challenges of ethnographic filmmaking in Urban Africa. A critical analysis of "Maputo: Ethnography of a divided city" (2015, Maputo)

Fernando Tivane, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul/Instituto Superior de Artes e Cultura

The documentary "Maputo: Ethnography of a divided city" (2015, produced by João Graça e Fábio Ribeiro from the Mozambican film studio "ANIMA. Estúdio Criativo", 74 min.) is based on the results from an ethnographic research project on the city and draws a polyphonic image of the capital of Mozambique. It recounts the history of Maputo as a divided city from the points of views of different social actors: a young female boxer, a church pastor, a merchant, and many others. In this paper, I will problematize and question how the filmmakers chose these actors and how they and the urban become represented. I also ask which possible interceptions in between the protagonists perspectives on the city we can elaborate from the documentary. And last but not least, I'll come to discuss ethical challenges in the process of filmmaking, using the example of this documentary produced by the two Mozambican filmmakers.