L'extraordinaire destin de Madame Brouette (2002)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Moussa Sene Absa

Writers:

Gilles Desjardins (co-writer)
Claude Gilaizeau (writer)

Release Date:

1 December 2002 (Canada)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance | Drama

Plot Keywords:

Flashback | African | Senegalese | Single Mother | Male Female Relationship

Awards:

4 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Rokhaya Niang	...	Mati
Aboubacar Sadikh Ba	...	Naago
Kadiatou Sy	...	Ndaxte
Ndeye Seneba Seck	...	Ndeye
Ousseynou Diop
Akéla Sagna
Moustapha Niang
Juliette Ba		(as Juliette Aita Ba)
Mody Fall
Ibrahima Mbaye		(as Ibrahima Mbaye Sope)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bassirou Diakhate	...	Biraan
Mamadou Diallo	...	Policier n° 1
El Hadj Dieng	...	Père de Mati
Seynabou Sarr	...	Fille du Commissariat
Samba Wane	...	Inspecteur impôts

Also Known As:

Madame Brouette (International: English title)

Runtime:

104 min (Montréal World Film Festival)

Country:

Canada | Senegal | France

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:14A (Ontario)

Company:

Les Productions La Fête Inc.

Movie Connections:

References The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000)

Colombo meets Guelwaar

A murder investigation frames the background for narrating the story of Madame Brouette (Rokhaya Niang) - a strong woman, who is dedicated to make a living for herself and her daughter in some poor neighbourhood in Dakar, Senengal. Flash-backs are developing the events which lead to the murder of the police man Naago, who was also her boyfriend and lover. Neighbours comment on her life and her good character - did she really murder Naago or was it maybe "London Pipe", a crook and local gangster? Director Moussa Sene Absa used first time actors (e.g. Naago is played by Aboubacar Sadikh Ba, a school teacher), but they all are playing their part very well. Absa likes to give his movies a specific color - which are yellow and orange in this film - and uses it to increase the beauty of the natural settings. Even though "Inspector Colombo" is only a funny & incapable character in this film, pace and storyline of "Madame Brouette" also remind of the famous detective series. On another thought, famous Senegalese filmmaker Ousmane Sembene used a similar style of telling the life of the main character in flashbacks in his movie "Guelwaar". --- I saw this film at the Tribeca Film Festival 2003, where it was part of the official selection. I give it 8 of 10 stars. Watch it, when you have a chance - Wigbert Boell/ WebdaK Group.