Events in an idyllic African village are shown in detail in the period just before logging trucks come in and cut down the forest around the villagers, forcing them to move into the wretched shantytowns that surround major cities throughout the undeveloped world. Despite the familiar premise, this surprisingly unsentimental film by Georgian director Otar Ioselliani has several things going for it, beginning with the cinematography and including the natural and unaffected (non-professional) performances of the villagers.

Director

Otar Iosseliani

Cast

Sigalon Sagna

Badinia

Saly Badji

Okonoro

Binta Cissé

Mzezve

Marie-Christine Dieme

Lazra

Fatou Seydi