Taamaden offers an intriguing and insightful take on young West African migrants who seek to find their way to Europe to try and make money for their families. The film dwells as much on the way the live as how they turn to trusted mystics and clairvoyants back in their home countries to help them make decisions and seek reassurance as to what the future holds in store for them.
Writer/director Seydou Cissé’s film flits between a group of men in Spain, struggling to make money by selling trinkets and taking farming jobs and who meet at night to discuss their lives, and the story of Bakary Tandia, a young man from Mali. Tandia is planning to head to France but seeks mystical advice as he looks to a series of rituals to try and ‘guarantee’ his safe journey and future prosperity.
Taamaden (a title which means ‘traveller’ and which has the subheading ‘The Walking Child’) offers a subtle appreciation of these young men, never judgemental when it comes to the illegal sea crossings they have to make, but instead offering up a balanced vision of the way they live. But the unusual spin is the reliance they all have on their ‘marabout’, a West African holy man or teacher, also a kind of seer or clairvoyant.
Bakary had worked in France before and wants to return, but seeks assurance from his marabout that his journey would go smoothly. He talk to friends in Mali about his plans, while his marabout has advises him to wear a special leather belt and engage in a series of religious rituals that include cracking eggs into water and pouring milk over his head. Having followed all his marabout’s instructions to the letter, his next crossing should now be successful.
Footage of his plans are balanced with a group of West African immigrants who are making a living in Spain. What they have in common with Bakary is that they have also regular contact with a mystical and religious clairvoyant. Most engaging is seeing them all meet up late at night with the streets packed with tourists, and taking the chance to talk about their lives. Their lack of money is very evident and are advised by their marabout that the sacrifice of a lamb might help their future.
Mali-born artist and documentary filmmaker Seydou Cissé takes an original and intimate approach to this story about the everyday lives of immigrants and their ties to spiritual leaders. Switching elegantly between Africa and Europe, he shows how African occultism finds a place in Europe via smartphone, and how faith and hope can be as strong as harsh reality. Beautifully shot and peopled with engaging and warm-hearted characters it is a gentle and fascinating film rich on atmosphere and compassion.
Taamaden is part of Generation Africa, a project of STEPS (South Africa).
Mali-Cameroon-South Africa-France-Belgium, 2021, 84mins
Dir/scr Seydou Cissé
Production Social Transformation and Empowerment Projects, Neon Rouge Productions, Tara Group, Les Films du Bilboquet, Tara Group, Les Films du Bilboquet
Producers Dr Alaka, Don Edkins, Tiny Mungwe, Eugine Michel Villette, Aurelien Bodinaux
Cinematography Tarek Sami, Tiecoura N’Daou, Seydou Cissé
Editor Wei Yuang Song
With Bakary Tandia, Ousmane Kafia, Mamadou Wagne, Moriba Dukily, Mamadou Balde, Naby Ibrajim Doumbia, Baba Diarra
