1973. Diminga, a thirty year old Guinean woman walks across the bush with a group of combatants to join her husband Sako at the front. On her journey she discovers her country has been left in a state of ruin and desolation by the Portugese. Days of sorrow : death is everywhere in the landscape. Days of hope: soon the war of liberation will be over. At the camp, Diminga and Sako barely have time to spend together. Around them events move rapidly.
1977. Peace does not necessarily end war. In Diminga's village there is a lot of laughter, a lot of joy, yet there are also a few cries of rage and a few tears. The country is struck by drought, another blow of fate. They must keep fighting for the land to bear fruit. The light is harsh. Evrything is still, unmovable. Back with Diminga, Sako is ill. So Diminga appeals to the ancient gods...

starring
Bia Gomes, Tunu Eugenio Almada, Mamadu Uri Baldé...

a film by Flora GOMES

Guinea Bissau, 1988, Feature Film, 1h25', Colour, 35 mm, Drama

FIRST FEATURE FILM

Original Title: Mortu Nega
French Title: Ceux Dont La Mort N'a Pas Voulu | Mortu Nega
English Title: Those Whom Death Refused | Mortu Nega
Portuguese Title: Morte Negada
Country: Guinea Bissau
Support: 35 mm
Type: Feature Film
Colours: Colour
Running time: 85' / 92' (1h25 / 1h32)
Language : Portuguese Creole (Pidgin)
Sous-titres : Français
DVD: Yes (Trigon Film)
VOD: Yes (Trigon Film)

"Mortu Nega is a remarkable film because it deals with a society of which we don't know nothing. War isn't really shown. We guess it through concerns of people or through their way to concern theirselves with others, solidarity, alertness. Women are nicely filmed too: their generosity, their taste for life. Other scene, during an adult's training session: a host tries to explain abstract ideas like "unity", "progress". The word "fight" is more easy for them: men have lived this during the war, and women know what is fight to feed children. In a few pictures, all is said about the necessity and the difficulty of education."_____Thérèse-Marie Deffontaines in Le Monde, March 8th, 1990

"The movie follows the historical jugular with an eye to revising closely-held canonical views....Gomes proves a true scholar with a celluloid quill... I can't think of a better cinematic introduction to lusophonic Africa than MORTU NEGA."_____Mustafah Dhada, Clark Atlanta University

"The role of women in the protracted struggle for independence in Guinea-Bissau has found its film and heroine. It should find a welcome place in classrooms and art houses."_____ Africa Today

"The true revelation of FESPACO. It has a personal tone, full of freshness and emotion. Provides a non-heroic vision of history that shows the natural participation of women in the struggle." Le Monde "A sweeping historical panorama of a nation's history. Introduces a promising talent to the African scene. It sidesteps sociology and ethnology for a human perspective on events."_____ Variety

CAST
Bia GOMES______________Diminga
Tunu Eugenio ALMADA_____ Sako
Mamadu Uri BALDÉ________ Sanabaio
M'Male NHASSÉ___________ Lebeth
Sinho Pedro DA SILVA______ Estin
Flora GOMES______________ Chef de Secteur / Head of Sector
Homna NALETÉ___________ Mandembo
Caio Leucadio ALMEIDA_____ Onkono
Irene LOPES______________ Brinsam
Abi CASSAMA_____________ Infirmière / Nurse
Ernesto MOREIRA___________ Médecin / Doctor

Producer / Producteur : Jacques Zajdermann
Producer / Productrice : Maria Cecilia Fonseca

Director / Réalisateur : Flora Gomes
Screenplay / Scénario : Flora Gomes, Manuel Rambault Barcellos
Adaptation & Dialogues / Adaptation et Dialogues : Flora Gomes, David Lang
Director of Photography / Directeur Photo : Dominique Gentil
Editing / Montage : Christiane Lack
Sound / Son : Pierre Donnadieu
Music / Musique : Sidonio Pais Quaresma, Djanuno Dabo
Set Design & Props / Décors & Accessoires : Manuel Julio, Fernando Julio


PRODUCTION:
Instituto Nacional de Cinema (Guinea Bissau)
Cooperativa Arco Irís

with the participation of
Ministère des Affaires étrangères (France),
Ministère de la Culture et Communication (CNC, France) - FONDS SUD (France).

DISTRIBUTION:
* Marfilmes (World except African Continent and USA) - www.marfilmes.com
* Trigon Film - www.trigon-film.org

AVOIR LE FILM / PRINT COPY
Please contact:
Trigon Film - Walter Ruggle [info(@)trigon-film.org] - www.trigon-film.org

WEB
www.marfilmes.com/en/africafilms/mortu+nega.htm
www.marfilmes.com/pt/africafilms/mortu+nega.htm
www.3continents.com/en/film/mortu-nega/
www.chacuncherchesonfilm.fr/film/29224-mortu-nega

AWARDS
* 2 Honorable Mentions /// Venice Film Festival (Italy)
* Oumarou Ganda Prize /// FESPACO (Burkina)
* Best Actress, Bia Gomes /// FESPACO (Burkina)
* Bronze Tanit award /// Carthage Film Festival - JCC, Tunis (Tunisia)

FESTIVALS
*Selection /// FESPACO 2025
* Selection /// Venice Film Festival (Italy)
* Competition /// FESPACO (Burkina)
* Selection /// Belgian Cinedecouvertes (Belgium)
* Selection /// London Film Festival (UK)
* Selection /// Seattle International Film Festival (USA)
* Selection /// Tarifa Film Festival (Spain)
* Selection /// Africa In the Picture (The Netherlands)
* Selection /// Festival des 3 Continents 1988 (Nantes, France)
* Selection - Lusophone African Cinema /// Festival des 3 Continents 2002 (Nantes, France)
* Selection /// Festival Soleil d'Afrique (Saint-Paul-lès-Dax - France, 14/03/2011 - 28/04/2011)
* Selection /// FESTICAB 2012 - Burundi International Film and Audiovisual Festival (Bujumbura - Burundi, 15/06/2012 - 22/06/2012)
* Selection /// "Siehst du mich?" - "Do you see me?" - A Film Series in the Framework of "50 Years of African In-Dependences" (Berlin - Germany, 19/09/2010 - 17/10/2010)
* Selection /// Africa Cinémathèque - Africa Season in Toulouse), Toulouse Film Library (17/06/2021 - 30/06/2021, Toulouse, France)
* Selection /// Tigritudes 2022 (Paris, France)

_____

A história de Diminga, uma mulher que procura o seu marido, um resistente, durante a guerra da independência. Por fim encontra-o e salva-lhe a vida. Quando a paz chega finalmente têm de reaprender a estar juntos e a viver numa terra devastada.

Realizador: Flora Gomes

Produção:
Instituto Nacional do Cinema da Guiné Bissau
Cooperativa Arco Irís

Lingua: Crioulo

Elenco
Bia Gomes, Tunu Eugenio Almada


Prémios
Festival de Veneza (2 Menções Honrosas); Prémio Oumarou Ganda - FESPACO; Melhor Actriz, Bia Gomes - FESPACO; Journées Cinématographiques de Carthage, Tunis (Tanit de Bronze)
Festivais
Festival de Veneza; FESPACO; Belgian Cinedecouvertes; London Film Festival; Seattle International Film Festival, Tarifa Film Festival - Espanha; Africa In the Picture - Holanda
Versões: Legendado em Francês, Português, Inglês e Espanhol

Disponibilidade: Por favor contactar TRIGON FILM - Walter Ruggle [info@trigon-film.org] - www.trigon-film.org



_____


DE

Mitten im Unabhängigkeitskrieg von Guinea-Bissau macht sich Diminga auf die Suche nach ihrem Mann Sako, der an vorderster Front mitkämpft. Das Land ist ruiniert, der Tod überall, doch die Hoffnung auf ein Leben danach bleibt bestehen. Diminga findet ihren Mann und rettet sein Leben. Als der Frieden endlich Einzug hält, müssen die beiden wieder lernen, miteinander zu leben in einem zerstörten Land, das von einer Dürre heimgesucht wird.

Originaltitel
Mortu Nega

Andere Titel
Mortu Nega

Deutscher Titel
Mortu Nega

Französischer Titel
Mortu Nega

Land
Guinea-Bissau

Kinoformate
DVD

Länge
92 Min.

Sprache
Portugiesisch, Kreolisch

SchauspielerInnen
Bia GOMES______________Diminga
Tunu Eugenio ALMADA_____ Sako
Mamadu Uri BALDÉ________ Sanabaio (Sanabayo)
M'Male NHASSÉ___________ Lebeth
Sinho Pedro DA SILVA______ Estin
Flora GOMES______________ Chef de Secteur / Head of Sector
Homna NALETÉ___________ Mandembo
Caio Leucadio ALMEIDA_____ Onkono
Irene LOPES______________ Brinsam
Abi CASSAMA_____________ Infirmière / Nurse
Ernesto MOREIRA___________ Médecin / Doctor

Regisseur
Flora Gomes

Drehbuch
Flora Gomes

Produktion
Instituto Nacional do Cinema da Guiné Bissau;
Cooperativa Arco Irís


Auszeichnungen
Venice Film Festival (2 Honorable Mentions);
Oumarou Ganda Prize - FESPACO;
Best Actress, Bia Gomes in FESPACO;
Journées Cinématographiques de Carthage, Tunis (bronze Tanit award)

Festivals
Venice Film Festival; FESPACO; Belgian Cinedecouvertes; London Film Festival; Seattle International Film Festival, Tarifa Film Festival - Spain; Africa In the Picture - The Netherlands