North-South.com

Directed by Francois Ducat

53 minutes / Color
Release: 2009
Copyright: 2007

Since the arrival of the Internet in the African republic of Cameroon, Internet Cafes have mushroomed. In a country where nearly half the population lives under the poverty threshold, many young women, who dream of escaping a life of misery by marrying a rich, white foreigner, surf the Internet for European marriage prospects at cybercafes such as Love.com, Affection.org, Flirt.net and Meeting.com.

film still

In the capital city of Yaounde, NORTH-SOUTH.COM interviews many of these young women who see Europe as a "paradise," and who express incredibly naive beliefs about European men-that they are more masculine, more romantic, have lots of money and always tell the truth.

film still

The film also tells the stories of several Cameroonian women who married white Europeans, showing their current situations, the cultural differences with which they deal, and the personal sacrifices they made in exchange for economic security. We also learn of the tragedy of a 19-year-old woman who was lured to Paris by an Internet correspondent, taken captive and forced into prostitution for nine months before escaping.

In relating these heartrending stories of dreams, hopes, disappointments and happiness that develop from on-line encounters between black women and white men, NORTH-SOUTH.COM also provides a provocative contemporary portrait of the relationship between the "developed" and "developing" worlds.

"…A fascinating film about inter-racial encounters between men and women. …Touches on some of the fantasies, projections and pitfalls inherent between races, which come to the fore in meetings in cyberspace. NORTH-SOUTH.COM provides a provocative portrait of the relationship between the 'developed' and 'developing' worlds."—Yaba Badoe, JENdA: A Journal of Culture and African Women Studies, 2011

"Examines this situation with much intelligence, know-how and sensitivity."—Philippe Simon, Webzine

Other Ways to Watch

Colleges, Universities, Government Agencies, Hospitals, and Corporations

Purchase DVD for $348.00

Available for educational streaming from:

Select Accolades

  • 2011 New York African Film Festival
  • 2008 Festival International du Grand Reportage d'Actualite
  • 2008 Festival Europeen des 4 Ecrans

RELATED TITLES

Welcome to a unique Parisian program for immigrant children from all over the world.

Julie Bertuccelli | 2015 | 89 minutes | Color | French | English subtitles

Men from Mali seek work in New York, Paris, and Tokyo.

Christopher Walker | 1995 | 51 minutes | Color