Delwende (2005)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

S. Pierre Yameogo

Writer:

S. Pierre Yameogo (writer)

Release Date:

8 October 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot Keywords:

Tragedy | Witchcraft

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Blandine Yaméogo	...	Napoko
Claire Ilboudo	...	Pougbila
Célestin Zongo	...	Diahrra
Abdoulaye Komboudri	...	Nonceur
Daniel Kabore	...	Bancé, l'ancien
Jules Taonssa	...	Raogo, le devin
Thomas Ngourma	...	Elie, le fou

Directed by
S. Pierre Yameogo

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
S. Pierre Yameogo		writer

Produced by
Pierre-Alain Meier	....	associate producer
S. Pierre Yameogo	....	producer

Original Music by
Wasis Diop

Cinematography by
Jürg Hassler

Film Editing by
Jean-Christophe Ané

Art Direction by
Joseph Kpobly		(as Chef Joseph Kpobly)

Makeup Department
Mariam Sidibé	....	key makeup artist (as Myriam Sidibe)

Production Management
Serge Bayala	....	production manager
François Taonsa	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Pascal Guimde	....	assistant director
Tom Ouedraogo	....	assistant director
Hamidou Sawadogo	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Nicolas Dambroise	....	sound mixer
Guilhem Gandrille	....	sound assistant
Jean-Marc Schick	....	sound mixer
Jacques Tassel	....	foley artist
Issa Traoré	....	sound assistant
Issa Traoré	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Marc de Backer	....	camera operator
Jean-Christophe Dupuy	....	still photographer
Jean-Marc Dupuy	....	still photographer
Paul Kabre	....	electrician
Thierry Kafendo	....	grip
Assane Maïga	....	electrician (as Hassan Maïga)

Editorial Department
Ian Mathys	....	color timer

Other crew
Caroline Helburg	....	administrator
Pierre Rouamba	....	art advisor
Nadège Rousseau	....	production assistant
Carine Sawadogo	....	script supervisor (as Karine Sawadogo)

Production Companies

• Dunia Productions (co-production)
• Les Films de l'Espoir (co-production)
• Thelma Film AG (co-production)
• Fonds Sud Cinéma (participation)
• Unidea - UniCredit Foundation (participation)
• Direction du Cinéma National du Burkina Faso (participation)
• TV5 (participation)

Distributors

• Les Films du Safran (2005) (France) (theatrical)
• New Yorker Films (2008) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Mikado (2005) (Italy) (all media)
• trigon-film (2005) (Switzerland) (all media)
• trigon-film (2007) (Switzerland) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Delwende, lève-toi et marche (France)

Runtime:

France:89 min | USA:90 min | Argentina:90 min (Mar del Plata Film Festival)

Country:

Switzerland | France | Burkina Faso

Language:

More | French

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

DTS

Certification:

Brazil:18 | Argentina:13 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva)

Company:

Dunia Productions

African Social Realism

This is another fine film from Burkina Faso that deals with the conflict between tradition and modernity and while not deprecating either, shows the need for social change from within society without following Western models of change. Much of the film, according to the director, is actually real footage and the characters are very real. That adds something to it. Especially the visit to the witches' asylum, all of that was real, and heartbreaking. The village scenes and the conflicts early in the movie show that traditional cultures have their positive aspects as well as their negative, and prevent romantic notions of tradition, while the scenes depicting urban disaffection in Ouagadougou show the continuing relevance of the traditional in providing safety and belonging in society.