This film started the bases of artistic integration in West Africa and created a sensation at the Ouagadougou film festival Fespaco by being awarded six distinctions. To be ordered from ArtMattan Productions (www.africanfilm.com/cat1.htm) Kombi is a poverty-stricken city dominated by a tyrant king. In order to bring back prosperity, the king is advised by his priests to make the traditional human sacrifice of a young virgin to a mystical snake god. Sia, the most beautiful young woman of the village, has been designated. Lieutenant Mamadi, her fiancé, rebels against the decision to perform this ritual and the village becomes divided. Struggles and revelations follow as the characters confront issues of honour, corruption and power. Starring Fatoumata Diawara (Sia), Sotigui Kouyaté (Wakhané, Head of Army), Habib Dembélé (Griot, Balla) The inspiration of Sia, le rêve du python is a seventh-century myth of the Wagadu people of Western Africa, which was adapted into the play La légende du Wagudu vue par Sia Yatabéré by Mauritanian writer Moussa Diagana. Sia Fatoumata Diawara Wakhané... Sotigui Kouyaté The Griot Balla... Habib Dembélé Kerfa... Hamadoun Kassogué Mamadi... Ibrahim Baba Cissé Kaya Maghan... Kardigué Laïco Traoré The empress... Mariétou Kouyaté Kélétigui... Fily Traoré The barber... Kary Coulibaly The coward... Abdoulaye Koumboudry The prince... Ahmed Kadio Sia's mother... Djénéba Diawara Sia's father... Toumansé Coulibaly The little boy... Ali Badra Kassina The twin soldiers... Mamadou Sangaré, Maghan Kouyaté Penda's mother... Diarrah Sanogo Penda's father... Mamadou Kouyaté The beer seller... Fantani Touré Genre: Epic Drama Running time: 96 minutes Country: Burkina Faso Language: Bamana (bambara) with English subtitles Directed by Dani Kouyaté Written by Dani Kouyaté Moussa Diagana Music by Daniel Rousseau, Fanny Touré Cinematography Robert Millié Editing by Zoé Durouchoux Produced by Claude Gilaizeau Elisabeth Lopez Sylvie Maigne Sékou Traoré (Sahélis Productions) Cinematograph 35 mm film - color - Apperture1.85 Licence number (Visa d'exploitation n°) 97516 Language Bambara Subtitles French, English, German Subtitle company LVT Sound company DTS stéréo Film Fuji Camera equipment DCN & Cinécam Machine equipment Ross Production Sound transfer DCA Music mix Studio Capitale Sound mix Studio des 3 Arts Film development Neyrac Technical credits Playwright Moussa Diagana Adaptation, dialog Dani Kouyaté Direction Dani Kouyaté Production Claude Gilaizeau, Sékou Traoré, Sylvie Maigne, Elisabeth Lopez Cinematography Robert Millié Editor Zoé Durouchoux Music Daniel Rousseau, Fantani Touré Sound Pierre Lorrain Sound editor Nicolas Mifsud Mix Fabrice Conesa Set director Papa Kouyaté Sculptures Abdou Ouolo's Costumes Massiri-So, Judith Hentz, Ester Marty Kouyaté, Abdou Ouolo's Stage manager Sékou Traore, Lacina Ouédraogo Director's first assistant Issa Traoré De Brahima Script-girl Véronique Paris Set photographers Christophe Dupuy, Didier Bergounhoux, Ibrahim Ware Dresser Martine Some Make-up artist Aminata Kaboré Properties Bill Mamadou Traoré, Amara Traoré Machines Abel Naba Lights Hassane Maiga Groupman Seydou Ouédraogo Caterer Adolphe Kaboré Distributed by ArtMattan Productions (USA) Pierre Grise Distribution (France) Libération Films (Belgium) Release date (USA): May 24, 2002 Release date (France): June 12, 2002 released in the U.S. on DVD in 2007, by ArtMattan Productions, as a double-feature (GREAT AFRICAN FILMS - VOL 2) with another Burkinabé film, Tasuma, The Fighter (dir. Daniel Kollo Sanou).