Senegalese film Xalé opens Joburg Film Festival
Director shines light on African women’s issues
Xalé, a Senegalese film has finally graced SA big screens.
The film was chosen to officially open this year’s Joburg Film Festival which started on Wednesday, taking place at various venues.
The screening was held at Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton and was attended by politicians including Gauteng MEC for human settlements and infrastructure development Lebogang Maile and justice minister Ronald Lamola, actors Kay Sibiya, Nomzamo Mbatha, Connie Chiume, radio DJ T-bo Touch and artist Sipho Ngwenya aka Psyfo.
Xalé follows the life of Awa, a 15-year-old African schoolgirl who is happily living her teenage years alongside her twin brother Adama when her dignity is taken away by her uncle. The viewer is taken into a storyline of family values, love, life and betrayal.
While Awa is focusing on her studies, Adama just dreams of Europe where he will work and change the family’s fortunes. Adama drops out of school and becomes a street vendor, raising funds to pay a businessman who smuggles migrants to France.
With their parents out of the picture, teenage twins Awa (played by Nguissaly Barry) and Adama (Mabeye Diol) are
raised by their ailing grandmother, who eventually dies. Before her death, she drops a bombshell that her late brother wanted Awa’s aunt Fatou and her uncle Atoumane to marry to preserve the family union. But Fatou refused to marry Atoumane and followed her heart, marrying her lover. Before that Atoumane, the black sheep of the family, tried to force himself on Fatou but she fought back.
When he realised he lost out on Fatou, Atoumane assaults Awa sexually and is banished from the village for 10 years.
Awa discovers that she is pregnant with Atoumane’s child and refuses to abort.
Xalé takes an easy and straightforward approach while it deals with women’s struggles in Africa.
The story is set in a povertystricken area in Dakar with no visible place of employment except seeing people selling different products to survive.
The story is complemented by beautifully themed Senegalese music.
Film director Moussa Sène Absa said: “I am always pleased to be in SA. The last time I was here was years ago when I attended Sithengi Festival.
I am very happy to see other filmmakers I have known for a long time.
“This film is very special to me because this is the third part of my theology about women destiny.
“For me, storytelling is like poetry. Storytelling is about our identity, our footprint and this is what makes us human. In this film I worked with a lot of talented actors who assisted me to bring the story to life.”
Lead actor Nguissaly Barry said she enjoyed working with Moussa. “He always puts women on the podium and highlights their issues. this time I was not only acting but I was behind the camera also assisting in directing.”