Would have liked a bit more information on the culture of Senegal people highlighted in this film, for example, why the staining of gums and mouth area. Some answers are in the extra features, for example, we learn that marriage as young as 8 or 9 is acceptably common, as is having 1 or 2 children by age 15.
The main plot idea was about arranged early marriages which is a horrendous way to deny a girl opportunities. Islam is no help as it's apparent that one is governed/destined (and should be resigned to) one's fate; usually accompanied by the phrases, "God is great" & "Praise God".
4 Reviews
Best movie I have seen in a long time
wadjet-79-5278213 May 2014
I am Eritrean-American and my dad and I love to watch things from Africa. We usually tour African Capital cities through YouTube. Now I wanted to put on an African movie because it is one of the few movies he would be willing to watch. He is not a Batman fan. He calls those types of movies, "exaggeration". lol that is the point. That being said, I found this movie through a Google recommendation and I just finished watching it. Let me just tell you why I love this movie. First, the people are real. I cannot believe I just watched a movie with real genuine people and it was in a film set in Africa (usually the most stereotyped people). I felt like these people were the decedents of the herders who came thousands of years before them. I was so happy to see these people and to love them in this movie. A good example of this was the brother who was calm, cared about his sisters, and had a soft voice. I was happy to see a real human being. Usually the black male is portrayed as loud, aggressive, and dominant. It also shows that Africa is a big continent, and every culture is different. Some loud some more quite. Even my dad noticed how the family spoke to each other while eating lunch "Look, they are speaking calm, they don't yell like us" The second thing I loved about this movie was the main character. The older sister. She was amazing. I don't know how to put it into words, but she was the star. I felt a lot of real emotion in this movie. It was so real, just perfect, no fake nonsense or extra made up drama, no twists and turns, just the love and problems of a family living in a traditional society.
Revealing inside view in rural African village and its culture. Assembled from true stories about struggling between traditional and modern views on man/woman roles
JvH4814 July 2013
Warning: Spoilers
I saw this film within the Rotterdam film festival 2013 (IFFR), where it was part of the Bright Future section. Though made by an American, this film looks like a real African story about real African people in a real rural village. It shows traditional values upheld by the elder people conflicting with upcoming more modern insights from younger people, without taking a stand in what is right and what is wrong. Better still, we get the chance to identify ourselves with both sides, leaving us wondering what we had done in such circumstances.
In the final Q&A with the film maker, we hear how this feature film started as a documentary but got a life of its own when delving deeper in related issues. In the context of their original plan, they met local girls who were the first ones going to school, telling how it felt being at the forefront of new developments that might overturn traditional viewpoints eventually.
The original plan to make a documentary about every-day's life in the village, took a different turn when one of the girls told "a" true story about marriage. Exploring the issues of arranged marriages further, they heard several similar stories. The resulting plot in the film at hand is based on real events. It is in fact a combination of several accounts, all having in common the struggle between traditional African culture and village rules on one hand, against upcoming trends wherein younger people more and more strive to define their own future on the other hand.
The story starts when the son whose daily task it is to herd the cows, has an unlucky fall when climbing in a tree on the lookout for more fertile grounds. The logic of the father dictates that the eldest daughter quits school, to take over the herding task for the time her brother is incapable. Additionally, he looks for a suitable husband for his youngest daughter, in order to pay the bills from the son's medical treatment. The father persists in his one-sided decisions, in spite of resistance from several sides inside and outside his family.
Important observation is that everyone wants best for the family, each from his/her own viewpoint and reasoning. This is what we see throughout the whole film. The best example is what happens (nothing) with the advice from the local school teacher. He sees only one solution, that is going to the police and filing a complaint. But his advice is ignored by our main character, because she does not want the family look bad. In contrast, the mother figure is totally useless here. Notable quote from her lips: "Don't you see. All we have is our culture." Similarly, the father merely repeats several times: "This is the only solution. There is no other way."
It is not useful to condense the rest of the story here. Suffice it to say that the daughters think of creative ways to raise money, and found a substitute for herding the cattle in the mean time. (*** warning *** spoiler ahead ***) Finally a large amount of money is raised. When the prospected husband arrives to take the younger daughter, the daughters show the money they kept under the mattress. The father consults the local village elder what to do with the situation at hand. He's advised that the giveaway should go on, since he gave his word: "It is our way". And so it happens, in other words the expected happy end is taken away from us viewers.
All in all, I forgot very soon that the main characters have no acting experience whatsoever. It really gives us the feeling of a fly-on-the-wall when witnessing the story to develop, thereby showing us the dilemma's from several sides. I gave the maximum score for the audience award when leaving the theater. This film received an above average score of 4.309 (out of 5) from 256 votes, yielding a deserved 19th place (out of 178).
In the final Q&A with the film maker, we hear how this feature film started as a documentary but got a life of its own when delving deeper in related issues. In the context of their original plan, they met local girls who were the first ones going to school, telling how it felt being at the forefront of new developments that might overturn traditional viewpoints eventually.
The original plan to make a documentary about every-day's life in the village, took a different turn when one of the girls told "a" true story about marriage. Exploring the issues of arranged marriages further, they heard several similar stories. The resulting plot in the film at hand is based on real events. It is in fact a combination of several accounts, all having in common the struggle between traditional African culture and village rules on one hand, against upcoming trends wherein younger people more and more strive to define their own future on the other hand.
The story starts when the son whose daily task it is to herd the cows, has an unlucky fall when climbing in a tree on the lookout for more fertile grounds. The logic of the father dictates that the eldest daughter quits school, to take over the herding task for the time her brother is incapable. Additionally, he looks for a suitable husband for his youngest daughter, in order to pay the bills from the son's medical treatment. The father persists in his one-sided decisions, in spite of resistance from several sides inside and outside his family.
Important observation is that everyone wants best for the family, each from his/her own viewpoint and reasoning. This is what we see throughout the whole film. The best example is what happens (nothing) with the advice from the local school teacher. He sees only one solution, that is going to the police and filing a complaint. But his advice is ignored by our main character, because she does not want the family look bad. In contrast, the mother figure is totally useless here. Notable quote from her lips: "Don't you see. All we have is our culture." Similarly, the father merely repeats several times: "This is the only solution. There is no other way."
It is not useful to condense the rest of the story here. Suffice it to say that the daughters think of creative ways to raise money, and found a substitute for herding the cattle in the mean time. (*** warning *** spoiler ahead ***) Finally a large amount of money is raised. When the prospected husband arrives to take the younger daughter, the daughters show the money they kept under the mattress. The father consults the local village elder what to do with the situation at hand. He's advised that the giveaway should go on, since he gave his word: "It is our way". And so it happens, in other words the expected happy end is taken away from us viewers.
All in all, I forgot very soon that the main characters have no acting experience whatsoever. It really gives us the feeling of a fly-on-the-wall when witnessing the story to develop, thereby showing us the dilemma's from several sides. I gave the maximum score for the audience award when leaving the theater. This film received an above average score of 4.309 (out of 5) from 256 votes, yielding a deserved 19th place (out of 178).
Depressing
rhondasmit28 April 2014
Warning: Spoilers
I hated to give this film such a low rating, because the acting is convincing and the photography is well done; both underscore the story nicely. The story is involving and while a little meandering and repetitious at times, it did hold my interest. But...
***Here may be spoilers: ***
But I felt cheated by the end.
It was altogether too depressing, too devastating, having vested so much in the characters and for nothing. It left me wondering why not to just make a short documentary, parading different cases of arranged marriages of young prepubescent girls, whether for 'cultural' or financial reasons, without involving me so deeply. Maybe different possible solutions could have been explored, instead of showing that in the end, the girls are still chattel, no matter their intellectual potential or accomplishments.
It's not that I have illusions about that. When it comes to marrying off young girls, I am aware this happens. I don't condone it. I don't know how to change it, or if the people want such change. But one thing I really don't want, is to have my hopes for a better life dashed so completely, and be left with nothing but questions.
With this depressing ending, in a strange way the film argues for the utter futility of trying to bring education and "Western" values of gender equality and choice to places like that. Why bother? It appears to be cruelty, to give the girls hope for a better future, show them glimpses thereof, only to leave them stuck in their culture, knowing that there is more out there, but not for them. In the end a daughter is still worth less than a skinny cow, and therefore easier to sell into marriage to settle a debt.
***Here may be spoilers: ***
But I felt cheated by the end.
It was altogether too depressing, too devastating, having vested so much in the characters and for nothing. It left me wondering why not to just make a short documentary, parading different cases of arranged marriages of young prepubescent girls, whether for 'cultural' or financial reasons, without involving me so deeply. Maybe different possible solutions could have been explored, instead of showing that in the end, the girls are still chattel, no matter their intellectual potential or accomplishments.
It's not that I have illusions about that. When it comes to marrying off young girls, I am aware this happens. I don't condone it. I don't know how to change it, or if the people want such change. But one thing I really don't want, is to have my hopes for a better life dashed so completely, and be left with nothing but questions.
With this depressing ending, in a strange way the film argues for the utter futility of trying to bring education and "Western" values of gender equality and choice to places like that. Why bother? It appears to be cruelty, to give the girls hope for a better future, show them glimpses thereof, only to leave them stuck in their culture, knowing that there is more out there, but not for them. In the end a daughter is still worth less than a skinny cow, and therefore easier to sell into marriage to settle a debt.
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