FILM DIRECTOR
Ousmane Sembène
1923 - 2007

Ousmane Sembène
Ousmane Sembène (French: [usman sɑ̃bɛn]; 1 January 1923 or 8 January 1923 – 9 June 2007), was a Senegalese film director, producer and writer. The Los Angeles Times considered him one of the greatest authors of Africa and he has often been called the "father of African film". He was often credited for his work in the French style as Sembène Ousmane, which he seemed to favor as a way to underscore the "colonial imposition" of this naming ritual and subvert it. Descended from a Serer family through his mother from the line of Matar Sène, Ousmane Sembène was particularly drawn to Serer religious festivals. Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Ousmane Sembène is the 279th most popular film director (up from 299th in 2019), the 7th most popular biography from Senegal (up from 8th in 2019) and the most popular Senegalese Film Director.
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Among FILM DIRECTORS
Among film directors, Ousmane Sembène ranks 279 out of 2,041. Before him are Nanni Moretti, Robert Siodmak, Mario Bava, Bigas Luna, Philippe de Broca, and Karel Zeman. After him are Andrew Davis, Damiano Damiani, Mikhail Kalatozov, Gabriel Axel, Wes Anderson, and Elem Klimov.
Most Popular Film Directors in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsNanni Moretti
1953 - Present
HPI: 65.43
Rank: 273
Robert Siodmak
1900 - 1973
HPI: 65.41
Rank: 274
Mario Bava
1914 - 1980
HPI: 65.40
Rank: 275
Bigas Luna
1946 - 2013
HPI: 65.40
Rank: 276
Philippe de Broca
1933 - 2004
HPI: 65.38
Rank: 277
Karel Zeman
1910 - 1989
HPI: 65.37
Rank: 278
Ousmane Sembène
1923 - 2007
HPI: 65.36
Rank: 279
Andrew Davis
1946 - Present
HPI: 65.36
Rank: 280
Damiano Damiani
1922 - 2013
HPI: 65.35
Rank: 281
Mikhail Kalatozov
1903 - 1973
HPI: 65.22
Rank: 282
Gabriel Axel
1918 - 2014
HPI: 65.21
Rank: 283
Wes Anderson
1969 - Present
HPI: 65.15
Rank: 284
Elem Klimov
1933 - 2003
HPI: 65.12
Rank: 285
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1923, Ousmane Sembène ranks 82. Before him are Hwang Jang-yop, Frederick Herzberg, Valentina Cortese, Conrad Bain, Yuriko, Princess Mikasa, and Lloyd Shapley. After him are Diane Arbus, Glynis Johns, Reinhart Koselleck, Robert Maxwell, Leonid Gaidai, and Stig Dagerman. Among people deceased in 2007, Ousmane Sembène ranks 71. Before him are Anna Nicole Smith, Joe Zawinul, Rudolf Arnheim, Magda Szabó, Marcheline Bertrand, and Petar Stambolić. After him are Lady Bird Johnson, Jean-Marie Lustiger, Ettore Sottsass, Lois Maxwell, Bob Denard, and Khun Sa.
Others Born in 1923
Go to all RankingsHwang Jang-yop
POLITICIAN
1923 - 2010
HPI: 65.73
Rank: 76
Frederick Herzberg
PSYCHOLOGIST
1923 - 2000
HPI: 65.67
Rank: 77
Valentina Cortese
ACTOR
1923 - 2019
HPI: 65.51
Rank: 78
Conrad Bain
ACTOR
1923 - 2013
HPI: 65.51
Rank: 79
Yuriko, Princess Mikasa
POLITICIAN
1923 - 2024
HPI: 65.47
Rank: 80
Lloyd Shapley
MATHEMATICIAN
1923 - 2016
HPI: 65.42
Rank: 81
Ousmane Sembène
FILM DIRECTOR
1923 - 2007
HPI: 65.36
Rank: 82
Diane Arbus
PHOTOGRAPHER
1923 - 1971
HPI: 65.18
Rank: 83
Glynis Johns
ACTOR
1923 - 2024
HPI: 65.14
Rank: 84
Reinhart Koselleck
HISTORIAN
1923 - 2006
HPI: 65.13
Rank: 85
Robert Maxwell
POLITICIAN
1923 - 1991
HPI: 65.09
Rank: 86
Leonid Gaidai
FILM DIRECTOR
1923 - 1993
HPI: 65.02
Rank: 87
Stig Dagerman
WRITER
1923 - 1954
HPI: 64.88
Rank: 88
Others Deceased in 2007
Go to all RankingsAnna Nicole Smith
CELEBRITY
1967 - 2007
HPI: 65.76
Rank: 65
Joe Zawinul
MUSICIAN
1932 - 2007
HPI: 65.75
Rank: 66
Rudolf Arnheim
PSYCHOLOGIST
1904 - 2007
HPI: 65.65
Rank: 67
Magda Szabó
WRITER
1917 - 2007
HPI: 65.51
Rank: 68
Marcheline Bertrand
ACTOR
1950 - 2007
HPI: 65.51
Rank: 69
Petar Stambolić
POLITICIAN
1912 - 2007
HPI: 65.47
Rank: 70
Ousmane Sembène
FILM DIRECTOR
1923 - 2007
HPI: 65.36
Rank: 71
Lady Bird Johnson
BUSINESSPERSON
1912 - 2007
HPI: 65.26
Rank: 72
Jean-Marie Lustiger
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1926 - 2007
HPI: 65.18
Rank: 73
Ettore Sottsass
ARCHITECT
1917 - 2007
HPI: 65.12
Rank: 74
Lois Maxwell
ACTOR
1927 - 2007
HPI: 65.05
Rank: 75
Bob Denard
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1929 - 2007
HPI: 64.99
Rank: 76
Khun Sa
MAFIOSO
1934 - 2007
HPI: 64.97
Rank: 77
In Senegal
Among people born in Senegal, Ousmane Sembène ranks 7 out of 138. Before him are Léopold Sédar Senghor (1906), Abdoulaye Wade (1926), Ségolène Royal (1953), Abdou Diouf (1935), Patrick Vieira (1976), and Youssou N'Dour (1959). After him are Ali Dia (1965), Macky Sall (1961), Cheikh Anta Diop (1923), Mariama Bâ (1929), Amadou-Mahtar M'Bow (1921), and Sadio Mané (1992).
Others born in Senegal
Go to all RankingsLéopold Sédar Senghor
WRITER
1906 - 2001
HPI: 74.42
Rank: 1
Abdoulaye Wade
POLITICIAN
1926 - Present
HPI: 68.75
Rank: 2
Ségolène Royal
POLITICIAN
1953 - Present
HPI: 67.87
Rank: 3
Abdou Diouf
POLITICIAN
1935 - Present
HPI: 67.52
Rank: 4
Patrick Vieira
SOCCER PLAYER
1976 - Present
HPI: 66.70
Rank: 5
Youssou N'Dour
SINGER
1959 - Present
HPI: 65.73
Rank: 6
Ousmane Sembène
FILM DIRECTOR
1923 - 2007
HPI: 65.36
Rank: 7
Ali Dia
SOCCER PLAYER
1965 - Present
HPI: 63.58
Rank: 8
Macky Sall
POLITICIAN
1961 - Present
HPI: 63.50
Rank: 9
Cheikh Anta Diop
ANTHROPOLOGIST
1923 - 1986
HPI: 61.87
Rank: 10
Mariama Bâ
WRITER
1929 - 1981
HPI: 61.63
Rank: 11
Amadou-Mahtar M'Bow
POLITICIAN
1921 - 2024
HPI: 61.48
Rank: 12
Sadio Mané
SOCCER PLAYER
1992 - Present
HPI: 61.38
Rank: 13
Among FILM DIRECTORS In Senegal
Among film directors born in Senegal, Ousmane Sembène ranks 1. After him are Safi Faye (1943).