Educational Media Reviews Online

Afroargentinos provides a fascinating look at people of African ancestry living in Argentina. Using quotes from figures in Argentine history as varied as Simon Bolivar and 1990s president Carlos Menem, the film highlights the institutional racism that has aimed at systematic erasure of this population from the national consciousness. At the same time, it details how Argentine culture drew upon African influences, in particular with the invention of the tango. The viewer comes away from the film with a nuanced understanding of the importance of Africans throughout Argentina’s history, as well as the prejudice that this group has endured.

In addition to helping students learn about the African diaspora in Latin America, the film addresses broader themes related to racism. In spite of the middle-to-upper class subject positions of the interviewees, the directors uncover the role that classism plays in perpetuating the marginalization of African peoples who don’t fit the Argentine notion of a “negro fino” (refined black). The film also interrogates the links between sexism and racism, describing the dangerous stereotype of all black Argentine women as sexually available. Finally, the film discusses the issue of internalized racism among the oppressed, thus providing a contemporary link to the psychological observations of Frantz Fanon. This superb film would be of use in both history courses and general courses on race.

Awards

• Best Film, Cinesul Festival, Rio de Janeiro, 2003
• Latin American Studies Association Award of Merit in Film, 2004
• Best Documentary, Black International Cinema Berlin, 2005