Le temps de la kermesse est terminé (2009)

Alex was to stay only a few minutes in Koupala, time to get gas. But when the car has broken down, his stay will be much longer than expected.

Director:

Frédéric Chignac

Writer:

Frédéric Chignac

Stars:

Stéphane Guillon, Aïssa Maïga, Ali Monzana

Cast

Credited cast:
Stéphane Guillon	...	Alex
Aïssa Maïga	...	Martina
Ali Monzana	...	Mamadou
Malik Sall	...	Dogni
Eriq Ebouaney	...	Lieutenant Bado
Amara Condé	...	Le banni
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Thomas Maurion	...	Touriste
Philippe Nahon	...	Le chauffeur de la camionnette
Thierno Ndiaye Doss	...	Le chef de village
Issa Ndiaye	...	Villager

Storyline

Alex should have stayed only a few minutes in Koupala. The time to rest a little, to take gas, but his stay will be much longer than expected. Car breakdown. Gnawed by the wind and drought, Koupala is a small village lost in the middle of the African desert. There is nothing to do. The days go by with strict monotony. Alex relies on the providential help of another motorist, but hardly anyone passes. Gradually, Alex will lose his bearings and his certainties as a White African. Even his money can't do anything. He is confronted with an increasingly heavy and unusual immobility. And in the register of new situations, Alex ends up discovering that he himself has become a stake, a chance fallen from the sky for this dying village. When his car finally restarts, Alex finds himself faced with a cruel dilemma: to save his skin or that of the village.

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Plot Keywords:

male female relationship | title appears in writing | tourist | military | corruption | 

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User Reviews

Confronting realism.

French guy Alex gets stuck in the middle of nowhere in some French African colony when his car breaks down. The isolated desert township offers little hope for finding a battery for his car, so Alex must wait for a passer-by to help - unfortunately for him, these are few-and-far between! Alex suffers from a white-superiority complex and treats the people of the village with disdain. The film realistically portrays the variety of responses from the small number of villagers who come into contact with Alex - their indifference, desperation, hope, opportunism. This is not a pleasant movie, Alex is not a likable character and, indeed, there are few likable characters at all in this film. It is, however, very well crafted, confronting, realistic, and definitely worth watching.

Details

Official Sites:

Flach Film [France] Rezo Films [France]

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

17 March 2010 (France)

Also Known As:

The Time of the Charity Fête Is Over

Company Credits

Production Co:

Flach Film, France 3 (FR 3)

Technical Specs

Color:

Color