The 1953 film won the Prix Jean Vigo but because of its criticism of colonialism, the second half of the film was banned until the 1960s.
During this latter part, the documentary problematises the modern commercialisation of African culture and argues that colonial presence has compelled African art to lose much of its idiosyncratic expression, in order to appeal to Western consumers.
A mention is made of how African currencies previously had been replaced by European.
In the final segment, the film comments on the position of black Africans themselves in contemporary Europe and North America.
Lastly the narrator argues that we should regard African and European art history as one inseparable human culture.
