Black Girl

From a poor Senegalese village, Diouana travels to Dakar and then to France to work as a maid. The role constrains her, subjecting her to strict schedules, humiliation, and racialized treatment by her employers. Her story culminates in a tragic act that underscores the exploitation she endures.

The wealthy head of the household who hires Diouana and exercises controlling power within the Parisian home. He reads aloud a letter from Diouana's mother and withholds fair compensation, illustrating the patronizing authority that governs the domestic space.

The mistress who imposes strict demands and belittles Diouana, embodying the hierarchy and cruelty of the privileged class. Her treatment constrains Diouana and reinforces the power imbalance at the core of the narrative.

Diouana's partner from Senegal, sharing in her hopes for a better life. Their relationship reflects the strain of separation and the tension between homeland and new environments, highlighting themes of loyalty and distance.

An on-screen figure in flashbacks that represents education and potential opportunity in Diouana's homeland. The character underscores the contrast between her past and the restricted existence she faces abroad.

A child of the couple whose presence underscores the household dynamic and the distance Diouana experiences from the family’s intimate world.

Another child in the Paris household; their relative innocence contrasts with the harsher realities faced by Diouana within the house.