Mississippi Masala – 35mm

Mississippi Masala

In 1972, Ugandan dictator Idi Amin ordered the expulsion of all asian immigrants to Uganda, giving them 90 days to exit the country, following a rise in anti-indian sentiment and black supremacy rhetoric in the country. Some 20,000 south-asian Ugandans were forced to leave their home, and seek refuge in other countries. Only in 1986 was the enactment undone, allowing the refugees to return home.

With this as a backdrop, director Mira Nair tells a story about a ugandan-indian family forced from their home in Kampala, being displaced in the small town of Greenwood, Mississippi, in the United States. What ensues is a heartfelt tale of two widely different cultures meeting and finding ways to exist together, despite the harrowing circumstances that led them where they are.

Mira Nair

USA

1991

35mm

118 min

English dialogue, Norwegian subtitles

Written by Henrik Bernhard Stangeland