Cosmic Africa (2003) User Reviews

Essential viewing for placing scientific discovery in context

[kephillips-02079 · 9/10 · 2 September 2019]

This is without doubt one of my favorite films with astrophysicist and host, Dr. Thebe Medupe taking us on a cross-Africa journey to answer a fundamental question "Is there a place for Africa in my science and a place for my science in Africa?" Feeling as though he is floating between two worlds Dr. Medupe visits Namibia, Mali, Egypt and Somalia to understand how indigenous people relate to the heavens. His findings are stunning as we see people who we would normally regard pejoratively as "primitive" developing complex, if not always accurate (or safe), explanations for the motion of objects in the night sky and their utility in shaping the lives, behaviors and ritual practices of the people who observe them. I use this film in a University level freshman seminar course that traces the development of astronomy across a 500-year period beginning with the 15th Century investigations of the heavens by the likes of Copernicus, Brahe, Kepler and Newton and ending with modern concepts of dark matter and dark energy. We are all struggling to understand the Universe from our limited perspective and within the constraints of our technology. Students who successfully disentangle innate intelligence from available technology have cracked the code. This is an amazing film and Dr. Medupe, by the way, has a standing invitation to visit my university class as an honored guest and lecturer!

If you like PBS...you'll like this film.

[JackAwful · 16 January 2006]

I was surprised to see no comment on this film, though I guess I shouldn't be shocked by apathy at this point in my life. The photography is top notch as are the attempts to tell the tale of simple lives in Africa. "People threw their people off the cliffs, rather than see them starve"....doesn't make for great romantic nights with popcorn, but it does remind us how good we have it. Should we take such for granted? "The jackal is the most sacred animal..." I can't speak for anyone but myself, but I rue the day films like this are no longer made simply because everyone is positioning themselves to be a star...if even on a dopey "reality show". This is a reality show. Check it out.

One of the most inspiring movies

[pwashington-1 · 10/10 · 28 July 2007]

I first saw this film on the Starz network a few years back... this is a GREAT movie. Cosmic Africa doesn't give you the usual, true, but depressing look at African plight. Instead the film follows Thebe Medupe, who was born and raised in an Africa tribe. Thebe left (I believe in his teenage years) his African village and earned the envious & difficult title of astrophysicist. He now makes the journey back to not only his old village, but various other towns, villages and people, sharing with them the knowledge of his western education about the Universe while showcasing what the Africans and their traditions have told them about the same Universe but with so many different views. There are some really...really spooky moments in the movie that can't even be explained in words, you just have to see it. HIGHLY recommended!