Mabata bata

The restless spirit of Azarias, who died young, haunts the undergrowth around a Mozambican village while his family tries to calm him. The spirits of those who died a violent death can, according to tradition, cause problems and he might disrupt his uncle’s upcoming wedding.But does this spirit really want to return?

Times and realities merge seamlessly in this magic-realist adaptation of a short story by Mia Couto. What killed Azarias in his prime? Why couldn’t he attend school like the other children, and what did his uncle have to do with this? Dreams are dispersed by wind and war, according to Mabata bata. And the battle has raged as long as the wind has blown. While the now old spirit of Azarias looks on, the film slowly works towards its apotheosis: the point at which the young Azarias ceased to exist.