"Africa's key characterization is not her poverty, she is a victim of her riches" This might become my favourite court drama, first for the subject matter; African society vs international financial institutions. There's argument that we still come off as slaves to the west especially when it comes to financial gain today. The topic hit so hard, and the way it is argued by the different witnesses was fascinating, they had the people represent themselves. My favourite being the former school teacher who was simply speechless. The setting of this courtroom; in the back yard of a couple whose marriage is crumbling felt authentic. We also see other people just go about their lives as this case goes on and on. There's so many small details that were added which made this even more effective. Without forgetting the music, it worked so well with the film. This film is phenomenal!
CW: white supremacy, imperialism/capitalismIn service to outrage, Sissako and his crew construct a work of beauty. Centering people in the midst of descriptions of systemic corruption, violence, neglect, and callous manipulation, this film dares you to deny the human cost of Western imperialism; it washes you in the images of people interacting (sitting together, walking together, crowded together), of simple daily tasks (laundry, for instance) and more complex and rare moments (testifying, for instance, or marriage). The film recognizes that our humanity is most prominently found in our emotions, and it brings those out not in melodramatic flourishes but in quiet spells and works of art and traditional ceremonies and modern stories. In between these, it unleashes a litany of crimes perpetrated by the IMF and World Bank, detailing their detrimental effects not just on Mali but on many nations in Africa.
I'm thinking back to when I was studying film in college in the US. I was on a board that helped program a film series for the campus and the public. We were trying to figure out what to play on the upcoming calendar, and trying to prioritize films from the African continent (that was a major blindspot for everyone on the board). Having watched and enjoyed Sissako's Timbuktu, and intruiged by this poster, I suggested Bamako. Our white faculty advisor quickly corrected my assumption that it was a movie about a singer (he was partially wrong because the film IS also about Melé), and called it a "boring court movie". And that was it, the film was dissmssed. I don't think we ended up even choosing an African film to play that calendar.I should have watched Bamako that day, and not have held off for 4 years. It angers me that this film - a unique, layered indictment of Western colonialism in Africa, and its effect on the death of so many people, and honestly, the nations themselves - could be dismissed so easily. Sissako is literally laying it out for his viewers to contend with. Juxtaposing people testifying about how their countries have been in ruin due to Western imperialism, and quiet, pure moments of people in Mali going about their lives. Even if it can be seen as "boring" you can't deny that this movie engages you in a way that few movies can, and gets you to think about issues of white and western supremacy on a global scale.If it is not the job of movies to place you in someone else's perspective and make you think and feel things, then I've got it all wrong and I guess this is just a "boring court movie". But no. I like to believe that we are empathetic watchers, and our personal film canons continue to grow and expand in marvelous ways.Abderrahmane Sissako
