Sifinja: The Iron Bride

A film about mobility, human creativity, and technology in a Sudanese truck community. The English Bedford-Lorry was introduced to Sudan in the late 1950s. Since then, local craftsmen have technically modified the truck into an ideal vehicle, suitable for traveling off-road, entertaining and multiple other purposes. The drivers dubbed it “Sifinja,” because it was soft and malleable like a pair of slippers. Following closely the work, art and history of truck-rebuilding on the Nile, and weaving the rhythmic sound of hammering, sawing, drilling and riveting throughout the film score, Sifinja: The Iron Bride provides a glimpse into the intersection of African creativity and global commodities.

This screening is presented in conjunction with the conference Politics in Africa: A Reexamination on the 70th Anniversary of African Political Systems. Visit the African Studies Workshop website for complete details.

(Valerie Hänsch, Sudan/Germany, 2009, DVD, 70 min)