Djeneba is a mother of nine children living in Kadioloko village, southern Mali. Since her husband left the family some years ago Djeneba and her children manage the family compound and its millet fields without him. Recently her eldest son, Madou, brought a wife, Lidy, into the family group. The documentary depicts the ups and downs of everyday rural life. Young Malian filmmaker Bata Diallo engages Djeneba's lifeworld with an observational film style all her own and with the quiet conversations she has with her characters. Along with family members we make the acquaintance of Nono, the grand old man and long-time chief of Kadioloko. A confidant of Djeneba, Nono is a local philosopher with a long memory and a wry world-view, and sense of humour to match. Djeneba, herself, is from the agriculturalist Minyanka ethnic group but through her daily interactions with Fulani people we gain a sense, too, of the pastoral way of life. DJENEBA is an hour-long chronicle of quotidian life in rural Mali; an observational documentary on family and farming from the point of view of an African woman.


Year: 2011
Length: 59 minutes
Director/filmmaker: Bata Diallo
Producer/production company: Visual Cultural Studies, University of Tromsø
Country of production: Norway
Country/location of film: Mali


FESTIVALS / AWARDS

2011 - NAFA Film Festival - Nordic Anthropological Film Association, August 29 - September 1, 2011 - University of St. Andrews, Norway - www.nafa.uib.no
* Selection
Being screened Wednesday 31 August at 16.30