Raw, raging realism clashes with melodramatic contrivance in Moussa Sène Absa’s “Xalé,” and that’s before a theatrical chorus of women seizes the screen to comment on the unfolding tragedy. The latest film from the veteran Senegalese director blends narrative styles and traditions with abandon, running the gamut from local folklore to Western-style soap opera, in an effort to make its tale of female subjugation and self-liberation as stretchily universal as possible. If that makes “Xalé” uneven practically by design, it’s consistently, colorfully diverting and honestly felt — it’s not hard to see why Senegalese selectors tapped it as the country’s international Oscar submission this year, though it lacks the finesse and political complexity of their recent, shortlisted entries “Atlantics” and “Félicité.”
In a market still largely unaccommodating of sub-Saharan African cinema, those films benefited from competition berths at Cannes and Berlin respectively. Having quietly premiered at...
In a market still largely unaccommodating of sub-Saharan African cinema, those films benefited from competition berths at Cannes and Berlin respectively. Having quietly premiered at...
- 10/26/2022
- by Guy Lodge
- Variety Film + TV
Berlin International Film Festival
La Fete/MSA Prods./Productions de la Lanterne
BERLIN -- "Madame Brouette", a Senegalese movie shot in French, doesn't contain much of a story. But the highly theatrical style of director Moussa Sene Absa lets the film unfold in a colorful, ritualistic manner, almost like a Greek tragedy.
The film screened in competition here, where it clearly is out of place. Yet its lively style makes "Brouette" an exotic selection for other film festivals even if theatrical distribution in Europe or North American is unlikely.
The story is as weak as it is predictable. Men mistreat women throughout the movie, which takes place in the shadier districts of Dakar. Finally, a woman gets her revenge. But Absa, who wrote the script with Gilles Desjardins, interjects songs and movement from peripheral characters, creating the effect of a Greek chorus, commenting on the action.
The movie opens as a corrupt cop called Naago Aboubacar Sadikh Ba) staggers from his lover's bedroom with several bullets in his body. Events leading up to his murder are seen in flashback as friends, onlookers, detectives and a TV news reporter fill in details.
Mati (Rokhaya Niang), nicknamed Madame Brouette or Madam Wheelbarrel, pushes her cart of bric-a-brac through market streets, eking out a meager living for herself and young daughter. A divorcee, she has sworn off men. (For good reason, if the portrait of Senegalese men here is at all accurate.) Inexplicably, she gets sweet-talked by Naago.
Mati dreams of opening a small restaurant with her best friend (Kadiatou Sy), who has escaped an abusive marriage. Even when things turn sour as her father banishes her because she is pregnant and her lover turns out to be a heel, she perseveres. She finally opens the restaurant on money earned by smuggling.
The actors all attack their roles with vigor, though with little subtlety. Senegalese music and graceful camerawork by Jean-Jacques Bouhon give the trite tale considerable vitality. Costumes and design add even more color. You just wish Absa had deployed his eye-catching style on a story with more substance.
La Fete/MSA Prods./Productions de la Lanterne
BERLIN -- "Madame Brouette", a Senegalese movie shot in French, doesn't contain much of a story. But the highly theatrical style of director Moussa Sene Absa lets the film unfold in a colorful, ritualistic manner, almost like a Greek tragedy.
The film screened in competition here, where it clearly is out of place. Yet its lively style makes "Brouette" an exotic selection for other film festivals even if theatrical distribution in Europe or North American is unlikely.
The story is as weak as it is predictable. Men mistreat women throughout the movie, which takes place in the shadier districts of Dakar. Finally, a woman gets her revenge. But Absa, who wrote the script with Gilles Desjardins, interjects songs and movement from peripheral characters, creating the effect of a Greek chorus, commenting on the action.
The movie opens as a corrupt cop called Naago Aboubacar Sadikh Ba) staggers from his lover's bedroom with several bullets in his body. Events leading up to his murder are seen in flashback as friends, onlookers, detectives and a TV news reporter fill in details.
Mati (Rokhaya Niang), nicknamed Madame Brouette or Madam Wheelbarrel, pushes her cart of bric-a-brac through market streets, eking out a meager living for herself and young daughter. A divorcee, she has sworn off men. (For good reason, if the portrait of Senegalese men here is at all accurate.) Inexplicably, she gets sweet-talked by Naago.
Mati dreams of opening a small restaurant with her best friend (Kadiatou Sy), who has escaped an abusive marriage. Even when things turn sour as her father banishes her because she is pregnant and her lover turns out to be a heel, she perseveres. She finally opens the restaurant on money earned by smuggling.
The actors all attack their roles with vigor, though with little subtlety. Senegalese music and graceful camerawork by Jean-Jacques Bouhon give the trite tale considerable vitality. Costumes and design add even more color. You just wish Absa had deployed his eye-catching style on a story with more substance.
- 2/12/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.