Diary of an African Nun
1977
Synopsis
A nun in Uganda is consumed by fear and doubt about her decision to take the solemn vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Her anguish intensifies night after night as she lies on a hard bed in her small room at the convent and listens to the rhythmic, beckoning drums of her village.
Editorial
Temptation knocks at commitment’s door with sounds of men, fire, and dancing in this heady early work from Julie Dash. Dynamic use of montage contrasts an ascetic life with the seductive pleasures of our persistent flesh, as the titular sister narrates her dilemma in mesmerizing, poetic voice-over.
