Purpose: This study explores the counter-anthropological approach of Sembène Ousmane’s novels and films, examining how his works interrogate African social life by challenging colonial and postcolonial epistemologies. The research highlights the role of literature and cinema as instruments of ethical, social, and historical knowledge, with a focus on the portrayal of women as central ethical actors.

Research Methodology: The study uses a qualitative methodology, combining literary analysis, film studies, and social theory to analyze Sembène’s works, such as God’s Bits of Wood, Xala, Ceddo, Borom Sarret, and Moolaadé. It explores Sembène’s cinematic techniques, including close-ups, spatial framing, and ensemble staging, to understand how these techniques reveal moral and social agency within African communities.

Results: The research finds that Sembène’s works challenge colonial and postcolonial misrepresentations of African societies, emphasizing agency, relationality, and moral deliberation. Women are shown as central figures in shaping communal life and challenging patriarchal structures. Religious practices are depicted as dynamic frameworks for ethical reasoning, not static rituals.

Conclusions: Sembène constructs a counter-anthropological methodology that provides an insider perspective of African life. His works depict African societies as historically conscious and morally reflective, contrasting with reductive colonial portrayals.

Limitation: The study focuses on selected works, which may limit a broader understanding of Sembène’s entire oeuvre.

Contributions: This paper contributes new insights into African literature and cinema, offering a nuanced counter-anthropological lens to explore social life, agency, and women’s roles in postcolonial Africa.