Sexually Transmitted Marks

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Summary: After school one day, in two neighboring classrooms, parallel stories are unfolding. How far will teachers and students go in their efforts to “adjust” marks through seduction? Will they succeed?

Sample topics for discussion:

1) Have you experienced or heard of a situation in which a person of authority tried to abuse his power in a similar way?

2) What can young women do to protect themselves in situations like this? How can parents help protect their daughters?

Directed by Abderrahmane Sissako, Mauritania

• Based on original ideas by Kossi Yesunyo Gossou, aged 18, Togo, and Régis Nkouma, aged 20, Republic of Congo
• Length: 6 minutes 54 seconds
• Production date: 2004
• Shot in Bamako, Mali
• Currently available in: American Sign Language, Dioula, English, Fon, French, Igbo, Kinyarwanda, Kiswahili, Lingala, Mina, Mooré, Portuguese, Pulaar, Twi, Wolof, and Yoruba.

Please click here to view and download photos from the shoot of the film Sexually Transmitted Marks.

“I liked this film a lot, because it gives me advice about dealing with teachers and life in school. Among our teachers, some get it off with girls, giving them good grades, even though we know they’re not intelligent.” 

“I feel that this is the best film because it gives advice about some teachers’ thoughtless seduction and corruption. This film helps us to avoid being corrupted by a teacher in return for a good grade. We should just accept the grade we have really earned and be who we really are.” 

“Wherever life may take me, I must always and in all circumstances keep my dignity.”

Reactions of three secondary-school girls who took part in a 2009 evaluative study of the Scenarios films in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso 

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