JOURNAL ARTICLE

Katanga: The Dance of the Scorpions, Dani Kouyaté (dir.) (2024), Suiza and Burkina Faso: Sahélis Productions.

  • Published In: Journal of African Cinemas, 2026, v. 18, n. 1. P. 135 1 of 3

  • Database: Africa Studies Source 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Cadavid, John Hurtado 3 of 3

Abstract

The article reviews *Katanga: The Dance of the Scorpions* (2024), a film by Dani Kouyaté that reimagines Shakespeare’s *Macbeth* through the lens of West African cosmologies and the contemporary sociopolitical context of Burkina Faso. The film integrates local spiritual practices, such as divination with emperor scorpions, and is narrated entirely in Mooré, emphasizing linguistic and cultural rootedness. Through its black-and-white cinematography and symbolic use of nature, *Katanga* explores themes of power, ambition, and historical repetition amid Burkina Faso’s cycles of political instability. The film has been recognized for its artistic and political resonance, winning multiple awards at FESPACO 2025, and exemplifies a decolonial approach to adaptation that centers African epistemologies and resists cultural erasure.

Additional Information

  • Source:Journal of African Cinemas. 2026/03, Vol. 18, Issue 1, p135
  • Document Type:Film/TV Criticism and Review
  • Subject Area:Geography and Cartography
  • Publication Date:2026
  • ISSN:1754-9221
  • DOI:10.1386/jac_00147_5
  • Accession Number:193231162
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