Burning sun and lack of water ravage the Sahara. War looms. When the situation becomes life-threatening, the village teacher Rahne decides to set off with his family and his cattle looking for more fertile land in the south. The journey is long and dangerous and may involve losing more than if he had stayed at home. Rahne and his wife Mouna mainly face hostility on their way.
Throughout all their trials, the teacher and his vivacious young daughter, whose arrival had not previously made him happy, grow closer together. Hope lies in their simple yet genuine overtures.
However, the emotions largely remain under the surface in lively yet calmly shot scenes that contribute to our realisation of the resilience and perseverance of the characters. At the same time they give the film an aura of merciless intransigence. Anyone wanting to survive in the desert cannot succumb to the day’s delusions. The road is too inaccessible, long and unpredictable.
Film details
Country of production
Belgium
Year
2006
Festival edition
IFFR 2020
Length
96'
Medium/Format
DCP
Language
French
Premiere status
None
Director
Marion Hänsel
Producer
Marion Hänsel
Screenplay
Marion Hänsel
Cinematography
Walther van den Ende
Editing
Michèle Hubinon
Production design
Thierry Leproust
Sound design
Henri Morelle
Music
René-Marc Bini
Principal cast
Issaka Sawadogo, Carole Karemera, Asma Nouman Aden, Emile Abossolo M'bo, Saïd Abdallah Mohamed, Ahmed Ibrahim Mohamed, Moussa Assan