Hyenas (1992)

Dramaan is the most popular man in Colobane, but when a woman from his past, now exorbitantly wealthy, returns to the town, things begin to change.

Director:

Djibril Diop Mambéty

Writers:

Djibril Diop Mambéty (screenplay), Friedrich Dürrenmatt (play)

Stars:

Mansour Diouf, Ami Diakhate, Faly Gueye

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview:
Mansour Diouf	...	Draman Drameh
Ami Diakhate	...	Linguère Ramatou
Faly Gueye	...	Mme Drameh
Mamadou Mahourédia Gueye	...	Le maire / The mayor (as Mahouredia Gueye)
Omar Ba	...	Le chef fu protocole / Chief of protocol (as Baye Peulh)
Issa Samb	...	Le professeur / The professor (as Issa Ramagelissa Samb)
Calgou Fall	...	Le prêtre / The priest
Kaoru Egushi	...	Toko
Djibril Diop Mambéty	...	Le juge / The judge
Mbaba Diop	...	Le seigneur de la plume / Lord of the feather
Abdoulaye Diop	...	Le médecin / The doctor
Rama Thiaw	...	La femme du maire / Mayor's wife
Oumi Samb	...	La danseuse / Dancer (as Oumy Samb)
Tcheley Hanny	...	Amazone / Horse woman (as Hanny Tchelley)

Storyline

A once-prosperous Senegalese village has been falling further into poverty year by year until the village's elders are reduced to selling town possessions to pay debts. Linguère, a former resident and local beauty, now very rich, returns to this, the village of her birth. The elders hope that she will be a benefactor to the village. To encourage her generosity, they appoint a local grocer, Dramaan, as mayor--who once courted her and will now try to persuade her to help. In fact, Linguère has returned with the intention of sharing her millions with the village but only in return for an unexpected action. This plot twist brings human folly and cynicism into sharp focus.

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Plot Keywords:

grocer | wealth | train station | tragic event | spinster | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Connections

Version of A Visita da Velha Senhora (1994)

User Reviews

A Taste of Africa

A once-prosperous Senegalese village has been falling further into poverty year by year until the village's elders are reduced to selling town possessions to pay debts. Linguère, a former resident and local beauty, now very rich, returns to this, the village of her birth. The elders hope that she will be a benefactor to the village. To encourage her generosity, they appoint a local grocer, Dramaan, as mayor -- who once courted her and will now try to persuade her to help.

This is an adaptation of Friedrich Dürrenmatt's Swiss-German satirical play "The Visit", which I am not familiar with, so I will have to judge the film on its own merits. Knowing nothing of Senegal, I love how they really used the village and surroundings and made it a crucial part of the film. The story is strong and funny in its own way, but I think the locale is a bigger selling point. I've never been anywhere in Africa, and certainly not Senegal... this made a strong visual impression on me.

Details

Official Sites:

Metrograph (English) Swiss Films page

Country:

Switzerland France Senegal UK Netherlands Italy

Language:

Wolof French Japanese

Release Date:

26 April 2019 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hyènes

Filming Locations:

Senegal

Box Office

Gross USA:

$24,672

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$24,672

Company Credits

Production Co:

Thelma Film AG, ADR Productions, Maag Daan

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1