Abouna

A pleasing African movie, a Chad/France co-production to be precise. The story of Abouna (‘Our Father’) is rather dramatic and moving. A father of two little boys disappears. Amine and Tahir try to find him, which brings them into some trouble. Their mother can’t take care of them. They are sent to a strict religious institution in the desert. Amine and Tahir are quite unhappy there, and they are longing to search their father. Everything gets a rather dramatic ending…

The images are very beautiful, with bright colours, exotic landscapes… The story is rather simple, and the movie as a whole quite accessible, with some references to well-known (European) films. I was quite entertained though, especially by the good acting of the two boys and the nice visuals, which were enhanced by the melancholic music of Ali Farka Toure.