Once again I am back with an appreciation of some films I have recently watched which had a profound impact on my life and how I see the world. These two films are from very different parts of the African continent, one set in the romantic dunes of the Sahara desert and the other is set in Lesotho’s rolling green mountains. Though aesthetically different, the message and stories in each film is powerful and are sure to sit with multitudes of viewers. 

‘Timbuktu’ is set in early 2010s Mali when the city of Timbuktu becomes briefly occupied by jihadist group of men who implement sharia law. Sissako’s visionary lens takes us through many areas of the city. At one point we encounter a man named Kidane (Ibrahim Ahmed dit Pino) a nomad who lives a little outside of the city with his wife Satima (Toulou Kiki), his daughter and their adopted son. We are also introduced to many of the atrocities that the citizens of Timbuktu encountered during the occupation. One of the most harrowing shots in the movie is when we witness the stoning of a couple that has been accused of fornication.

The film was filmed mostly in Mauritania and partly in the actual Timbuktu (in Mali). Watching a movie set in the desert for me has always been a wonderfully refreshing. The dunes and the simplicity of the homes all act as visual poetry for the viewer is swept away not only by the movie’s narrative but the images that are presented to the viewers. The plot is still very relevant and timely with systems of oppression continuously spread across the world, often robbing people of their self-expression and their humanity. My favourite part of the film was how Sissako plays in the grey area. He does not create any particular ‘good guy’ which we are often accustomed to when we watch Western film (the good guy has to overcome the bad guy, ring a bell?). The characters are all portrayed as humans, flawed and ambiguous as the human race comes. After watching the film my mind still grappled with how powerful this depiction of human beings and ideologies is in creating narratives that are truly heartfelt and deep. 

In the vain of Sissako, ‘This Is Not a Burial, It’s a Resurrection’ also used its beautiful landscape as a character in the film. Set against the rolling mountains and greenery of Lesotho, the film was directed by filmmaker Jeremiah Mosese. We are introduced to Mantoa, a woman who awaits the return of her son from the gold mines of South Africa only to bury her son who has died. This is not the only loss Mantoa experiences, she has also lost her husband, her other children and her grandchildren.

She is alone and begins to plan her own funeral while plans to construct a dam on her ancestral home lands begins. When I was watching the film and how the plans of a new dam were underway I could not help but think of the construction of the Kariba Dam in Zambia and Zimbabwe which displaced many people, flooded the homes of many people (some of them my ancestors) and disrupted the livelihoods of the initial occupants of the land. Mantoa begins her fight to preserve her ancestral land while fighting a beast which seems almost impossible to see or touch. This was the first film by Lesotho to be submitted for the Academy Awards. 

Another gift that these films gave me were empathy and curiosity on the central issues discussed. I became more interested in the issues of Muslim extremism and land displacement because I watched these characters experience it. Wonderful art is able to raise people’s consciousness while also elevating their empathy for other human beings no matter how far removed their reality may be from yours. 

As a great fan of any content that comes out of Africa I was pleased to be steered toward these two treasures. They became not only study material but vehicles for questioning and avenues to deeper appreciation of human existence. There are many stories from the continent that have not received the attention they deserve and perhaps the most tragic neglect is from us who call Africa home. I invite you into the worlds of these poetic expression of storytelling and many other African films which are sure to stir you curiosity and tickle your interest.