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IMDbPro

Timbuktu

  • 20142014
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 1h 36m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
18K
YOUR RATING
Timbuktu (2014)
Trailer for Timbuktu
Play trailer1:54
3 Videos
69 Photos
DramaWar
A cattle herder and his family who reside in the dunes of Timbuktu find their quiet lives -- which are typically free of the Jihadists determined to control their faith -- abruptly disturbed... Read allA cattle herder and his family who reside in the dunes of Timbuktu find their quiet lives -- which are typically free of the Jihadists determined to control their faith -- abruptly disturbed.A cattle herder and his family who reside in the dunes of Timbuktu find their quiet lives -- which are typically free of the Jihadists determined to control their faith -- abruptly disturbed.
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
18K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Abderrahmane Sissako
  • Writers
    • Abderrahmane Sissako(screenplay)
    • Kessen Tall(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Ibrahim Ahmed
    • Abel Jafri
    • Toulou Kiki
  • Director
    • Abderrahmane Sissako
  • Writers
    • Abderrahmane Sissako(screenplay)
    • Kessen Tall(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Ibrahim Ahmed
    • Abel Jafri
    • Toulou Kiki
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 77User reviews
    • 182Critic reviews
    • 92Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 33 wins & 27 nominations total

    Videos3

    Timbuktu
    Trailer 1:54
    Watch Timbuktu
    Timbuktu Trailer
    Trailer 1:54
    Watch Timbuktu Trailer
    TIMBUKTU Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:54
    Watch TIMBUKTU Official Trailer

    Photos69

    Mehdi A.G. Mohamed and Layla Walet Mohamed in Timbuktu (2014)
    Toulou Kiki, Ibrahim Ahmed, and Layla Walet Mohamed in Timbuktu (2014)
    Abderrahmane Sissako, Mehdi A.G. Mohamed, and Layla Walet Mohamed in Timbuktu (2014)
    Kettly Noël in Timbuktu (2014)
    Ibrahim Ahmed in Timbuktu (2014)
    Timbuktu (2014)
    Fatoumata Diawara at an event for Timbuktu (2014)
    Abel Jafri, Abderrahmane Sissako, and Hichem Yacoubi at an event for Timbuktu (2014)
    Fatoumata Diawara, Abel Jafri, Kettly Noël, Abderrahmane Sissako, Hichem Yacoubi, Toulou Kiki, Ibrahim Ahmed, Adel Mahmoud Cherif, and Weli Kleïb at an event for Timbuktu (2014)
    Sonia Rolland at an event for Timbuktu (2014)
    Abel Jafri, Kettly Noël, Abderrahmane Sissako, Hichem Yacoubi, Toulou Kiki, and Ibrahim Ahmed at an event for Timbuktu (2014)
    Sonia Rolland at an event for Timbuktu (2014)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Ibrahim Ahmed
    Ibrahim Ahmed
    • Kidane
    • (as Ibrahim Ahmed dit Pino)
    Abel Jafri
    Abel Jafri
    • Abdelkerim
    Toulou Kiki
    Toulou Kiki
    • Satima
    Layla Walet Mohamed
    • Toya
    Mehdi A.G. Mohamed
    Mehdi A.G. Mohamed
    • Issan
    Hichem Yacoubi
    • Djihadiste
    Kettly Noël
    Kettly Noël
    • Zabou
    Fatoumata Diawara
    Fatoumata Diawara
    • La chanteuse Fatou
    Adel Mahmoud Cherif
    • L'Imam
    Salem Dendou
    • Le chef djihadiste
    Mamby Kamissoko
    • Djihadiste
    Yoro Diakité
    • Djihadiste
    Cheik A.G. Emakni
    • Omar
    Zikra Oualet Moussa
    • Tina
    Weli Kleïb
    • Juge
    • (as Weli Cleib)
    Djié Sidi
    • Juge
    Damien Ndjie
    • Abu Jaafar
    • Director
      • Abderrahmane Sissako
    • Writers
      • Abderrahmane Sissako(screenplay)
      • Kessen Tall(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The scene in which the cow was killed with a spear was done by sedating the cow under the supervision of a veterinarian and adding the spear digitally in post production - the animal was not harmed.
    • Goofs
      In the stoning scene, both man and woman are buried up to their necks. In a proper Islamic stoning (rajm), the woman should only be buried up to her waist.
    • Quotes

      L'Imam: [to a jihadist] Stop this. You cause harm to Islam and Muslims. You put children in danger in front of their poor mother. You even hit the mother of two children without any good reason. Before you came, a woman was here to complain that you forced her to wear gloves-- here they are-- without convincing her of their usefulness, as is prescribed by Allah and His prophet. Remember the words of Allah the Almighty: "So pardon them. Consult them in the matter. Speak with them. Once you've made a decision, put your trust in Allah, for He loves those who rely upon Him." Where's leniency? Where's forgiveness? Where's piety? Where's exchange... exchange? Where is God in all this?

    • Connections
      Featured in The Oscars (2015)
    • Soundtracks
      Shooting The Statues
      Composed, Arranged and Orchestrated By Amin Bouhafa

      with The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra

      © 2014 Universal Music France

    User reviews77

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    Complex and yet accessible
    For someone raised in Mauritania as I was, it was quite something to watch the first Mauritanian movie nominated for a Foreign Film Oscar. I saw it in, of all places, in a movie theatre in Rio de Janeiro, the first week of its release in Brazil.

    The language of cinema is truly universal as you see people who belong to an entirely different culture react in a similar way to someone from that culture. Of course there are some references not easy to get, such as the one to music lauding the Prophet by Mauritanian female artist Dimi mint Abba which is heard in a key scene showing how absurd these Islamists' prohibitions are.

    Unsure, also, whether people can tell when different actors use different languages (Arabic, Tuareg, Bambara etc.).

    The soccer game scene is one of the best I saw this year on the big screen, and the one with the killing of astounding beauty.

    Definitely a great director at work here, despite obvious limited resources.
    helpful•53
    4
    • ahmedlimam
    • Feb 24, 2015

    FAQ1

    • Is this film about the Islamic State?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 10, 2014 (France)
    • Countries of origin
      • France
      • Mauritania
      • Qatar
    • Official sites
      • Cohen Media Group (United States)
      • Official site (Japan)
    • Languages
      • French
      • Arabic
      • Bambara
      • English
      • Songhay
      • Tamashek
    • Also known as
      • Timbuktú
    • Filming locations
      • Oualata, Mauritania(as Timbuktu)
    • Production companies
      • Les Films du Worso
      • Dune Vision
      • Arches Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $1,076,075
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $45,110
      • Feb 1, 2015
    • Gross worldwide
      • $7,179,391
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 36 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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