My dissertation examines the various ways Francophone West African Filmmakers use the image of the child to tackle major issues of concern for their country, people and Africa. Eight (8) films in which children are main characters are analyzed: Gaston Kaboré’s Wend Kuuni (1982), Cheick Oumar Sissoko’s Nyamanton (1986), Mohamadou Cisse’s Falato (1989), Idrissa Ouedraogo’s Yaaba (1989) and Le cri du coeur (1994), Dany Kouyaté’s Keïta: L’héritage du griot (1994), Djibril Mambety Diop’s La petite vendeuse de soleil (1999), and Ben Diogaye Bèye’s Un amour d’enfant (2004).

I explore the use of cinematic techniques and cultural codes by filmmakers to suggest that, on one hand, the image of the child is used to address his/her welfare, and on the other, that image is an instrument for the filmmaker to tackle significant social issues. Themes of Education, Modernism versus Tradition, Identity, and Immigration ground the study.

This study looks into cinematographic strategies used by the filmmakers in the process of redefining Africa. It uses an interdisciplinary framework, drawing on recent scholarship in Disability theory, Postcolonial theory, Women studies, Anthropology, History and Sociology to understand the experiences and challenges faced by African nations that once existed as French colonies.

Therefore, the approach to this study is a film based approach rather than shot to shot analyses of the films. The analysis draws upon a postcolonial discourse that allows addressing issues tackled in the films from an African perspective. The analysis also focuses on film aesthetics to highlight on these issues. The work of Manthia Diawara, Albert Memmi, Bill Ashcroft, Frank Ukadike and other postcolonial theoreticians and film critics is used to also highlight the analysis.