Po di Sangui

This film from the African country of Guinea Bissau is pretty impressive, with an intriguing story full of gorgeous shots and camera moves. The film is told in the manner of a folktale, and is about tree worship and the migration of a tribe in search of better lands, among other things. The scene of the women singing in the river is wonderful. Director Flora Gomes (who, by the way, is a man, despite his name) is surely a talent to watch.

The first film I watched by Flora Gomes was "Nha Fala" and I truly enjoyed it. I was anxious to see more of the director and "Po di Sangui" was one of the titles I had on my watchlist. Unfortunately, the copy of the film I got was dubbed in French. Oh, that awful french dubbing! The little girl is cute and beautifully innocent, but the dubbing attributed to her is especially annoying. This took some of the impact the film could have had. I hope to be able to rewatch this someday in the original kriolu. Apart from this unfortunate detail, I thoroughly enjoyed "Po di Sangui". It is a beautiful film about tradition, spirituality, being one with the land, and a social commentary on the destruction of nature by modern society. Rather than telling us a story with beginning, middle and end, Gomes shows us everything as if we are being told a folk-tale by an elder. Beautiful cinematography complemented with an interesting and enjoyable blend of nature sounds and african rhythms, mystical images and a thin line between reality and dreams are the key ingredients for an amazing and heartfelt work by Gomes. I will remove one star because of the goddammned french dubbing. As soon as I have the opportunity to watch it in the original kriolu, I'm pretty sure 10 stars will be awarded.

Po di Sangui, though rough in a few places, powerfully portrays the plight of rural Africa in the face of the approaching modernity of the Western World. In a world where languages and cultures are disappearing, Po di Sangui explores how the indigenous cultures of Africa deal with the societal ruptures caused by migration to urban centers, and the arrival of Western science in the bush.

The beauty of Po di Sangui is the insight it gives into the nature of rural African culture. The veil between the world of the living and the dead is not absolute, as in Western culture. The living communicate with the dead by way of visions, conversing with trees, and signs. Conflict erupts when scientists arrive that neither respect nor believe in the power of the rural culture. The people must decide if the solution is isolation from the modern world, embracing it, or a mixture of the two. Each viewing provides deeper insights into the dilemma.

This film features some beautiful cinematography, as well.