Europe and Africa
The film is a dynamic encounter between Europe and Africa, replete with imagery of two cultures coming together in a fascinating but problematic way. Within the imagery of this film are embedded criticisms about the dehumanization of Africans among the European imagination, and the constant belief that science entitles them to behave how they'd like. They take science as their right to indulge themselves without a hesitation, time and time again, which shows through imagery why Europe felt entitled to exploit Africa; they didn't have science and technological advancement like the Europeans did.
Dehumanization
The imagery of human dignity is shown by the reverse. As the viewer sees dehumanization unfolding, their internal meter for human decency is hopefully offended. The movie shows through offensive displays of dehumanization how obviously deplorable this behavior and way of life is. The people in the scientific community behave in inappropriate ways and the audience is supposed to understand from that that there are people who hold beliefs contrary to the truth even while grandstanding about the truth.
Sexuality and animal nature
There is an interesting use of imagery in this film, confusing sexual imagery and animal imagery. They are surprisingly compatible because humans are animals, scientifically speaking. So when the scientists observe the "specimen" sexually, they are merely examining the facts, they claim. At least, that would be the case except their "specimen" is obviously another human woman! And they are clearly interested in her sexually, which is proven by her unfortunate sexual abuse and rape throughout the film. They are simply torturing her by calling her "animal" and calling themselves "human" as if there is a difference.
Sexism and disenfranchisement
The portrait of disenfranchisement is one that will strike a familiar tone: a prostitute is able to make money only by sex, even though she was ashamed sexually against her will. The journey of a violated person becoming comfortable with re-affliction of trauma, accepting prostitution—it serves as imagery of disenfranchisement. Although the facts elicit a moral response, she is in fact the victim of extreme social disenfranchisement, both as a woman and as an African in a very racist European setting.
