The cinema comes in with an out-of-focus shot, capturing something resembling the sun in its fluctuating frame. This is the maiden film from the French Senegalese director Ramata Toulaye, and it fits the criteria of ‘each shot is a masterpiece’ quite perfectly considering the sheer grace with which light is used. The light is almost an actor in itself. But the interesting detail regarding light is it’s not entirely a good element, with light greatly adding beauty to the scene, whether it be by swirling sand or being clear.
Set in a village in Senegal, the harsh light present is very unforgiving. The cast patiently waits for rain that never falls and the light hinders the wellbeing of the animals. Drought and famine replace the ever-present rains, and just breathing becomes a hassle.
Imagine trying to find love in dire situations like this, along with trying to balance the lust, intimidation, and the love itself. But Banel (Khady Mane) gives it her all when it comes to loving Adama, who in all honesty does have a shy personality, considering he will lead the tribe in the future.
She is very determined as a woman. In the shots where she sounds “angry and agitated,” we hear her scraping around the edges of rationality to try and suppress the voices that surround her. She doesn’t like her village; together with Adama, they fantasize about new poles closer to their setting, as many films show that what is outside ranges from nonexistent to barbaric. She even goes on to remove the sandstorm-destroyed village where they lived and writes it on a piece of paper that depicts her and Adama’s names over and over again. She narrates how she couldn’t help learning the Quran during religious education because the teacher made her memorize it. She later learns how to kill birds using a slingshot she had to build herself. Adama may have fulfilled the role of a tribal leader but one character exclaims, “No man here is better than another”.
Sy knows how to edit as Paule chronicles the complicated makeup of love alongside the suffering of the village. This is not a film with any narrative that is too dramatic. The drought becomes worse and the images of the sun and its effect on dead cows start to pour in.
In the end, Adama is blamed by Banel for a wide range of issues since she too, from the very outset, retained an individualistic viewpoint and in some instances even turned egotistical. In this one, “You swore you would leave no rock unturned,”. Banel believes that due to the fulfillment of promises, the outcomes are not supportive. This movie is very one-sided as it only displays the problems of the sandstorm and not its benefits. It’s always critical to be balanced.
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