Bamako (2006)

Directed by: Abderrahmane Sissako | 115 minutes | drama | Actors: Aïssa Maïga, Maimouna Hélène Diarra, Balla Habib Dembélé, Djénéba Koné, Hamadoun Kassogué, William Bourdon, Mamadou Kanouté, Gabriel Magma Konate, Aminata Traoré, Danny Glover, Elia Suleiman, Abderrahmane Sissako, Jean-Henplriaine Roger, Assa Badiallo Souko, Zegué Bamba, Dramane Bassaro, Ferdinand Batsimba, Samba Diakité, Georges Keita, Hamèye Mahalmadane, Roland Rappaport, Aissata Tall Sall, Mamadou Savadogo

An important lawsuit takes place in a dusty courtyard in Bamako, Mali. At the same time, normal life in the village continues. This is the setting of ‘Bamako’, an interesting film about the ups and downs of present-day Africa and the role the West plays in it. The combination of the lawsuit and the daily life of the residents of the village where the lawsuit takes place creates a realistic portrait of life in Mali.

The protagonists are Mele (Aissa Maiga) and her husband Chaka (Tiecoura Traore), but it is clear that the film is not just about them. Often the couple, who is about to break up, is out of the picture for a long time to make way for the lawsuit. Through lively statements from the various witnesses – sometimes sad and sometimes funny – ‘Bamako’ manages to capture dry facts in a fascinating way. In this way, the film manages to inform the viewer about the effects of globalization on the African continent.

Director Sissako was born in Mauritania and studied at VGIK, the Moscow film school. Today he lives in France. In addition to being a director, he is also a producer of films. Abderrahmane Sissako is the filmmaker in focus at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in 2007. One of his films that will be shown there is ‘Bamako’ (“The Court”). The festival also screens previous films by Sissako, such as ‘Octobre’ and ‘Heremakono’.

‘Bamako’ has also been screened at several other film festivals in 2006, such as Cannes and London. ‘Bamako’ paints a fascinating picture of present-day Mali. Unfortunately, the film doesn’t captivate for two hours, because of the slow rhythm. The fact that the film’s protagonists are often overlooked also contributes to this.