DARATT

Chad, 2006, 96 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Mahamat- Saleh Haroun.

Films from Chad are very rare. Director Mahamat -Saleh Haroun was born there in 1960. He studied at film school in Paris and journalism in Bordeaux. His first film, Bye Bye Africa was made in 1999 and won the Best First Film prize at Venice that year. His second film, Abuna, is a very moving film about children, family relationships and absent fathers. It screened in the Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes in 2002. Darat is his third film. It won the Jury Prize in Venice in 2006 as well as many other side bar prizes for social justice. It received a commendation from the Signis jury.

The setting is Chad at the end of a forty-years period of civil war. An amnesty is declared. A young man is urged by his grandfather to go to the city to avenge the death of his father, killed during the civil war. When he meets the man responsible for his father’s death, he hesitates, sees him distribute bread to poor children.

The young man stays, works as a baker for the killer, sees him treat his wife badly, yet seems to be a good man in terms of Muslim expectations. Ultimately, he takes the man back to his grandfather (who is blind) and pretends that he has shot him.

The film uses local locations quite strikingly. The audience feels that it has been in Chad. The performers are very good, again making audiences believe in the motivations, the ambiguities of their lives. The theme of justice, retribution and forgiveness and reconciliation come across very powerfully.

1. A film from Chad? Chad’s perspective on Africa, democracy, civil war, justice, reconciliation?

2. The production values, Chad not having a film industry? European support?

3. The title, the dry season, the desert, the symbolic title? The range of locations, the desert itself, the dust roads, the towns, the more modern parts of the city? The musical score?

4. A simple story, focused, measured pace, reflective?

5. Atim and his grandfather, the bonds between the two, the radio announcements about the justice commission, their getting the radio, sitting and listening, the announcement of the amnesty, their anger? Atim and his being given a mission to avenge his dead father? His grandfather giving him the gun? Travelling on the roads, his presuppositions about his enemy? The reality, change, the final gesture being the opposite of what was expected?

6. His getting the lift on the road, in the back of the van, his staring at the soldier with hatred? The soldier pulling his gun – and the later irony of Atim seeing him at the hotel, the confrontation? His bizarre attitude, drunken dancing? Atim being beaten for urinating against the wall, his later beating the soldier on the bridge?

7. Massou, genial, rescuing Atim from the soldiers, friendship, taking him home, pretending he was an American, playing together, Atim’s surly attitude, understanding each other, the friendship? The manoeuvres for stealing the fluorescent lights and bulbs? The getting the money, Atim deciding to break, refusing the money?

8. Atim finding Nassari, Nassari giving out the bread to the poor children, going to the mosque, his wife and her pregnancy? His having the gun, spitting out the bread at Nassari, Nassari offering him work?

9. Nassari in himself, age, hard, his wife and her pregnancy, the arranged marriage, his beating her for his thinking she was flirting with Atim? Giving out the bread to the poor? His reaction to Atim spitting out the bread? Offering him work? His experiencing the hostility in Atim’s eyes? The work in the bakery, Atim forgetting the yeast, packing the bread? Attacking the truck of the rival? A growing bond with Atim, trying to get him to go to the mosque? His bad back, Atim massaging, the supportive belt and the guns in the cupboard? His wanting to adopt him? Wanting to know who his father was? His feeling abandoned by God, drinking? Saying that Atim made him feel alive?

10. The sketch of the wife, the arranged marriage, her youth, baby, playing with Atim, being beaten, the flour incident?

11. Atim, the opportunities to kill Nassari, his imagining it? His work in the bakery, forgetting the yeast, the satisfaction in baking bread by himself? Giving it to the poor? His coming to live in the house, the continued hostility? Walking the city, the river? Going to the hotel and the bar, seeing the soldier, confronting him, bashing the soldier on the bridge, seeing the legless soldier walk past, firing the shots? His possibilities for killing Nassari, the disappearance of his gun, finding Nassari’s guns? His response to the issue of adoption? Decision to go?

12. Nassari driving him, the grandfather hearing his arrival, wanting vengeance, stripping Nassari, Atim and the shots, his grandfather asking whether he had a steady hand? The blind grandfather not seeing him save Nassari and shoot into the air?

13. Issues of redemption, for Nassari as he prayed, admitting he had done terrible things in his life, feeling the loss of God, finding Atim? Atim and his not shooting, not taking revenge?

14. A message for Africa, African nations, revenge, civil wars? A message for Muslim countries and forgiveness?