A documentary set inside a salon in Tunis on the eve of the 2019 Tunisian presidential election, the second ever held in this new democracy. The hairdressers debate each other and their clients on the issues of the day and the merits of the candidates. I love that this is set within a hairdressers. The…
Garderie Nocturne is a beautifully observed documentary focusing on Ms. Coda’s night nursery, looking after the babies and infants of women who work at night in the sex trade. Despite the contentious issues that might surround the subject, this film is purely a slice of life of what is. It shows a very domestic story…
Excruciating. Excellent, but excruciating. This is one of the only films I had to pause and walk away from and come back. So many things in this are a deeply uncomfortable watch. So, this film starts with the intention of showing a more positive, fuller picture of life in Goma, in the Democratic Republic of…
Arachnid is a short film in which Anansi begs his woman to return. Ama, an Ashanti goddess, has been hurt too many times, but will Anansi, with all his tricks, be able to persuade her to take him back? A really cool, beautifully shot piece playing out this scene from a traditional folktale in a…
Holy fuck, that was great. Each scene was so tense, I feel queasy. Covering the 2018 Zimbabwe election, President follows Nelson Chamisa, leader of the opposition party Movement for Democratic Change Alliance, and his team, as they fight the first vote since the deposition of long-incumbent tyrant, Robert Mugabe. Quick intro if you are not…
Rosine Mbakam’s latest film is Delphine’s Prayers, a heartbreaking and moving documentary about one woman’s life. Across the course of the film she tells her life story to the camera, a story of survival despite all odds. Delphine, like Rosine, was born in Cameroon and now lives in Belgium with a European husband. But where…
BMB (Black, Muslim and Bi) is a short film combining dance, poetry and film to express a journey of self acceptance, forging their identity as Black, Muslim, bi. Queer identities have always been a disruption to the normative narrative, and the experimental style of film tries to break free to say something that is struggling…
Having just watched The Two Faces of a Bamileke Woman, I was eager to see what Rosine Mbakam’s next project would be like. I was pleased to find Chez Jolie Coiffure continues on the themes of strong women and female-centred community. Chez Jolie Coiffure is this really enjoyable slice of life, set inside a hair…
The first thing to know about this film is the cinematography is beautiful. Just stunning. The story is as much told through the camera’s gaze on these amazing landscapes as it is on the human actors in the frame. It makes every view a vista. Whether it is the powerful growl of the sea crashing…
Just beautiful. The Two Faces of a Bamileke Woman is a love letter to the women in her family, a celebration of their strength which sheltered and nurtured her, a thanksgiving for all she owes to their sacrifices and their character. The filmmaker returns home to Cameroon after 7 years, now a new mother with…