Theoretical introduction. Introduction ; Theoretical frames of African filmmaking ; African feminism ; Selected films and book structure -- Imaging the girl child. Introduction ; Children in African colonial and traditional settings ; Children in adult worlds ; Portrayal of children in synthesis -- Negotiating spaces within patriarchy. Introduction ; Dismantling patriarchal logic ; The logic of bride price ; Questioning foundational myths and traditions ; Women in polygamy ; Polygamous men's 'fatal' attraction to young, sophisticated women ; Women under new economic challenges ; The feminine in the public sphere ; Male victims under patriarchy ; Conclusion -- Positioning the elderly in gender relations. Introduction ; Elderly women of centres of alternative authority ; Male-female dynamics ; The elderly as harbingers of change ; Conclusion -- Recurrent trends in gender representation in African cinema. Introduction ; Trends in the representation of women ; Implications for film theory research.