Idrissa Ouedraogo Sophie Salbot (executive producer)
Starring
Fatoumata Coulibaly
Habibou Dembélé
Lamine Diallo
Maimouna Hélène Diarra
Balla Moussa Keita
Cheick Oumar Maiga
Mouneissa Maiga
Fabola Issa Traoré
Cinematography
Lionel Cousin
Edited by
Kahéna Attia
Joëlle Dufour
Music by
Michel Risse
Pierre Sauvageot
Distributed by
Kora Films; California Newsreel
Release date
1995 (1995)
Running time
93 minutes
Countries
Mali
France
Germany
Languages
Bambara
Fula
Guimba the Tyrant (French: Guimba, un tyran, une époque) is a 1995 Malian comedy drama film in the Bambara language (with some Fula language components), directed by noted Malian director Cheick Oumar Sissoko. The movie shows the rise and fall of a cruel and despotic village chief Guimba, and his son Jangine in a fictional village in the Sahel of Mali. Some of the storytelling is done through the village griot, and with the film being placed in an old setting, this lends an epic touch to the movie. The exact chronological setting of the movie is difficult to ascertain, since it is set in an isolated village, but the commonly used weaponry shown is the blunderbuss. However, one scene outside the village features a neem tree, a species introduced to Africa in the colonial period. The film has some magical components, including a solar eclipse brought on by magic. Casting was only partially done from among professional actors.
The film has well designed, colorful and exotic props, costumes and sets. It has evoked mixed responses from critics, and been lauded for its visual beauty.[1][2] Slapstick comedy is present throughout the movie, as is comedy through the actions of the griot. The screenplay also contains numerous interesting African adages. The movie soundtrack contains music sung in old dialects using ancient instruments.
Some critics have founds elements of political satire in the film, due to director Oumar Sissoko's resistance to Malian dictator Moussa Traoré.[3]
^Peter Stack, "FILM REVIEW -- `Guimba the Tyrant' Rules Over a Comic Charmer From Africa", San Francisco Chronicle, January 17, 1997.
^Review[permanent dead link] in the NY Times
^Review Archived 2007-09-30 at the Wayback Machine in the City Pages
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