Africa Addio (Farewell Africa) (1966)
Africa Addio (also known as Africa: Blood and Guts in the United States and Farewell Africa in the United Kingdom) is a 1966 Italian mondo documentary film co-directed, co-edited, and co-written by Gualtiero Jacopetti and Franco E. Prosperi, with music by Riz Ortolani. The film delves into the tumultuous period following the end of colonialism in Africa, capturing the violence, chaos, and profound changes that ensued.
The film begins by documenting the celebrations across sub-Saharan Africa as the British relinquish control, allowing African nations to establish their own governments. However, these celebrations quickly turned into riots, with mobs destroying imported goods from European countries and African colonies that had not yet gained independence. Portuguese eggs, South African oranges, and beer become symbols of the changing times.
In Kenya, the film portrays the Mau Mau Uprising, revealing the brutality of the conflict. One Mau Mau member is arrested for the mass murder of an entire white farming family and their staff. After the massacre, 100 Mau Maus descend on the farm, torturing animals and committing acts of cannibalism. The surviving animals are euthanized out of mercy.
Meanwhile, in the White Highlands area, white farmers, fearing the loss of government protection, sell their farms at a loss and prepare to leave Africa forever. Their lawns and gardens are bulldozed to make way for more farmland. The coffins of deceased homeowners are exhumed and taken by their families to be reburied on another continent.
As the colonial era ends, armies of poachers descend on the savanna, which is no longer protected as wildlife preserves. The film captures the raw reality of a continent in transition, where violence, upheaval, and uncertainty prevail.
Africa Addio encountered both criticism and praise due to its controversial content. Nevertheless, it remains an essential film in the history of documentary filmmaking, shedding light on a pivotal moment in Africa’s past.
