Abstract

The present paper reinforces the claim that the category of the ‘national’ and the space of the ‘national’ are to be perceived as ideological and political constructions, which, in cinematic representations, may vary from resistance to or collusion with the Hollywoodian tradition. Subsequently, we argue that there is no ideal national cinema model, which may express and explore pure, authentic national identities and indigenous cultural traditions. However, any national cinema, as part of world cinema should be able to mediate meaning and therefore has an impact on the issuing culture. Thus, national cinema becomes an ideological instrument deeply rooted in the semantics of the given society. The concept of national imaginary is used in its Lacanian acceptance of the term and will be further applied on two distinct African representations in The Perfect Picture and Mooladé.