Date: 22.07.2015, 18:30 - 21:00
Entrance: 30,- N$; Limited Seats, please come early!

Address:
FNCC Cinema
Robert Mugabe Ave 118
Windhoek

Not far from Timbuktu, now ruled by religious fundamentalists, Kidane lives peacefully in the dunes with his wife Satima, his daughter Toya, and Issan, their twelve-year-old shepherd. In town, the inhabitants suffer, powerless, from the regime of terror imposed by the Jihadists determined to control their faith. Music, laughter, cigarettes, even soccer have been banned. Women have become shadows but resist with dignity. Every day, the new improvised courts issue tragic and absurd sentences. Kidane and his family seem to be spared the chaos that prevails in Timbuktu. But their destiny changes when Kidane accidentally kills Amadou, the fisherman who slaughtered "GPS," his beloved cow. He now has to face the new laws of the foreign occupants.

A small cocktail reception for our audience, in honor of this film and its director, will be held at both screenings.

A personal message by AfricAvenir's curator Hans-Christian Mahnke:
"Timbuktu is an honest portrait and cinematic poetry. A brilliant yet harsh description of the invasion of Timbuktu by religious fundamentalists, Sissako shows the effects on the people, who try to carry on with their life under the new rulers. In beautiful film-language, poetically, Sissako shows the power of resistance by and dignity of the inhabitants of Timbuktu and the absurd contradictions but also the humanness of the invaders. Despite the despair, hope in a world of cruelty is possible.

The film is visually stimulating from beginning to end. Although a tough topic to deal with, one hopes the film would continue endlessly. It feels like one is on a beautiful breathtaking hiking tour in the mountains, exhausted but enjoying the fantastic view. A little stone slips into your shoe, you know it's there and quite aggravating, but you never stop to take it out. The views, the metaphors, the harsh and cruel story are so breathtaking and keep you moving. Even a year after watching the film only once, my heart and soul are still occupied with this film by of one of cinema's masters. Namibians must make it a matter of principle to watch this film."

Timbuktu
Director: Abderrahmane Sissako
Language: French/Arabic with English subtitles.
Country: Mauritania/France
Production year: 2014
Runtime: 97 min

Awards:
With too many awards and nominations to list here, most important awards one can view here:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3409392/awards

AfricAvenir's film series African Perspectives is supported by AfriCine, FNB Foundation, Turipambe Design, Goethe-Centre Windhoek, FNCC and the Mahnke family.

© Copyright AfricAvenir 2015