RUN


Ivory Coast, 2014, 100 minutes, Colour.
Abdul Karim, Konate, Isaach de Bankole, Reiine Sali Coulibaly.
Directed by Philippe Lacote.

This is the summary written by the writer-director:
Run escapes... He just killed the Prime Minister of his country. In order to do so, he had to act as if he was a crazy man, wandering through the city. His life comes back by flashes ; his childhood with Tourou when his dream was to become a rain miracle-worker, his adventures with Gladys the eater, and his past as a young member of militia, in the heart of the politic and military conflict in Ivory Coast. All those lives, Run didn't choose them. Everytime, he felt in by running from another life. That's the reason why his name's Run. Written by Philippe Lacôte

This film was nominated for consideration for Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, 2014. It was made in the Ivory Coast, the director coming from the capital, Abidjan, and the main actors also from Ivory Coast.

There is political unrest in the background, echoes of military coups and uprisings in the early 21st century.

However, the film focuses on a young man who walks into a gathering with a gun and shoots the Prime Minister. As he escapes and tries to mingle with the crowd, he experiences flashbacks to his early life, leading, once again, to his attack on the Prime Minister.

The film shows Run’s life as a little boy, his apprenticeship to a rain-maker, his desire to become a rain-maker, his not succeeding, but his being forced to execute his mentor. A large part of the film shows his friendship with the very large, Gladys, who goes around the countryside with her special talent, eating, with Run as her spruiker. He also becomes involved in the young militia, doing various jobs for the leader, The Admiral – but also getting in with revolutionaries which leads to his assassination attempt.

1. A film from the Ivory Coast? Director and performers? Story and characters? The background of militia and civil unrest in the 21st century?

2. The local settings, the Ivory Coast countryside, the cities, political meetings, slums? Travelling performance? The militia gatherings? The assassination venue? The musical score?

3. The film as a portrait of Run? From the Ivory Coast? The opening with his marching into the assembly, the gun, in his mind, killing the elephant, shooting the Prime Minister? His appearance, headband, running, through the town washing, changing his clothes, mingling? His motivations? His name – and for each phase of his life, running?

4. The flashbacks, as a little boy, his ambitions at apprenticeship, with his mentor, the rain-making, the failure? The bond? The people, wanting rain? The assembly, the execution of the rain-maker? His lonely background? Growing older, meeting Gladys, travelling with her, her performance, helping him grow up, friendship and support? Her failure, not recognising him and his escape? Going to the militia, the motivation, the other young men, the leaders, The Admiral, getting jobs, cleaning the car, mixing with revolutionaries, with Assa? The motivations, leading to the assassination attempt?

5. Gladys, large, eating, travelling around, her performance, people coming to see her, Run as her spruiker, encouraging audiences? Travelling with Run? Mentoring him? Her beginning to fail, the child taking the food? The attempted performance, Run and his anonymity, his fleeing?

6. The Admiral, the militia, with the young men, the tasks, his ambitions?

7. The revolutionaries, Assa, with Run? The bonds? Leading to motivation?

8. After the assassination, hiding, his being washed, the photo, his new identity?

9. Interesting perceptions on life in the Ivory Coast, social, political?