Sign up
Trailer

Mandabi

1968Movie1 h 32 min

ComedyDrama
70
GoodGoodWatch score
IMDb7.3Metacritic73–Rotten Tomatoes100%75%

A moving, slow-burning comedy movie about everyday modern life and society, with standout direction and world-building.

Good for friends night · teens · thought-provoking

Where to watch

Set your services

Fingerprint

Not for scares or adrenaline.

Movies with

Story

A money order from a relative in Paris throws the life of a Senegalese family man out of order. He deals with corruption, greed, problematic family members, the locals and the changing from his traditional way of living to a more modern one.

Feels like

  • Sharp Social Satire
  • Post-Colonial African Cinema
  • Bureaucratic Absurdism
  • Family Dysfunction
  • Corruption & Greed
  • Neorealist Style
  • Cultural Transition
  • Wolof Language Focus
  • Moral Dilemma
  • Ousmane Sembène Masterpiece

Cast

5 of 5

Crew

Directed by
Ousmane Sembène
Written by
Ousmane Sembène
Produced by
Robert de Nesle

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

November 27, 1968 · 1 h 32 min · Strong Language, Disturbing Imagery

Released
November 27, 1968
Runtime
1 h 32 min
Content
Strong Language, Disturbing Imagery
Genres
Comedy, Drama
Original language
Wolof
Also spoken
French
Made in
Senegal, France
Available in
32 countries

Q&A

5 questions, like "Where can I stream Mandabi?"

Questions about Mandabi

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Mandabi?

HBO MaxCriterion

In the United States, Mandabi streams on HBO Max and Criterion. It also streams in 10 other countries.

Is Mandabi worth watching?

70
GoodGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 70 (IMDb 7.3, Rotten Tomatoes 100%, and Metacritic 73). Critics rate it higher (87 out of 100) than audiences (74).

Will Mandabi make me laugh?

Funny

Yes: the humor is mostly satire (9 of 10) and situational comedy (8 of 10).

Is Mandabi plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on dialogue centrality (9 of 10) and character depth (8 of 10) more than on its plot.

Is Mandabi in English?

WolofFrench

No, it was made in Wolof, with some French.