Kalista Sy (born about 1985) is a Senegalese screenwriter known for writing and producing the TV series Mistress of a Married Man (Maîtresse d'un homme marié, 2019–present). The series is set in Dakar and premiered on Marodi TV Sénégal in January 2019.
In January 2019 the first episode of Mistress of a Married Man aired on Marodi TV Sénégal[1] and went viral in Africa on YouTube.[2][3][1][4]
Sy's show focuses on the lives of everyday Senegalese women.[5] The show's storylines, including sex, infidelity, domestic abuse, and polygamy, which are not usually covered in Senegalese media, have resulted in controversy.[6] The series' frank discussion of female sexual freedom led to Islamic clerics calling for it to be banned.[7]
Professor Marame Gueye wrote of Sy that, "Her female cast does not practice the widely accepted skin bleaching prominently featured in earlier series as the standard of beauty for Senegalese women. More importantly, the series puts women’s experiences at the center of its storyline. Marème and her cohort are ambitious women with jobs and their lives do not center exclusively on their relationships with men."[8]
In 2019, she was listed among the BBC's 100 Women.[9][10]
Sy lives in Dakar, Sengal and is married to Medoune Diop, a computer scientist.[1] She is a former television journalist.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c d Turkewitz, Julie (22 August 2019). "Bold Women. Scandalized Viewers. It's 'Sex and the City,' Senegal Style". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
- ^ Kimeria, Ciku. "How a Senegalese soap opera went viral across Africa by giving women an authentic voice". Quartz Africa.
- ^ Gruber, Lilli (24 October 2019). Basta!. Solferino. ISBN 9788828203780 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Senegal — BLOG". The Kenyan Explorer.
- ^ Ba, Salma Niasse (9 June 2019). "'Mistress of a Married Man', the TV series that divides Senegal ('Maîtresse d'un homme marié', la série télé qui divise le Sénégal)". Le Monde.fr (in French). Retrieved 27 March 2021.
- ^ "The woman behind Senegal's Sex and the City". www.bbc.co.uk. BBC News - World Service.
- ^ ""Maîtresse d'un homme marié" : Mame Mactar Guèye porte plainte contre Marodi TV et… | seneweb.com". Audio. 27 December 2019.
- ^ "Senegal's fear of outspoken women". africasacountry.com.
- ^ FAYE, AYOBA. "'Mistress of a Married Man' screenwriter Kalista Sy among 100 most influential women in the world, says BBC". PRESSAFRIK.COM, L'info dans toute sa diversité (Liberté - Professionnalisme - Crédibilité).
- ^ "Kalista Sy sur une liste de femmes "les plus influentes en 2019" – StoryBot". storybot.afryk.com.
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