ABOUNA - DVD review

It's not often that I get a chance to watch African cinema, but whenever I do it's a real treat. Filmmaker Mahamat-Saleh Haroun fled his home country of Chad for France where he attended film school and worked as a journalist. An avid film buff, he saved up his money until he could afford to shoot his first film. "Abouna (Our Father)" is his second feature-length film, following "Bye Bye Africa."

"Abouna" opens with a man wandering the vast desert. He looks over his shoulder at the camera, then disappears into the landscape. We learn that this man has abandoned his family, an unfortunately common occurrence in Chad. The man's sons, Tahir (Ahidjo Mahamat Moussa) and the asthmatic Amine (Hamza Moctar Aguid), wait impatiently for him to referee their soccer game, unaware of what has happened. Their mother returns home to inform them, but never reveals why her husband has left in the first place.

Searching for their father, the boys discover that he hasn't been to work in over two years. The mystery thickens when they hit the local theater featuring an eclectic showcase (from Charlie Chaplin's "The Kid" to Jim Jarmusch's "Stranger Than Paradise") and believe to have seen their father in the film. He is happy and with another family. They steal the print the next day, forcing their mother to send them away to a Koran school.

The boys hate it there, even though the place isn't half bad. To the filmmaker's credit, he doesn't go the easy route by turning the place into a Dickens-ian orphanage of doom. Although, Tahir does get a beating after attempting to run away. They adjust eventually only to have Amine suddenly die when he loses his inhaler and the Mother collapses into a catatonic state. But, from this tragedy emerges some happiness when Tahir falls in love with a mute girl, five years his senior.

Haroun's French training shines through as "Abouna" reminded me of Francois Truffaut's "The 400 Blows" with a little bit of Satyajit Ray's "Aparajito" thrown in for good measure. Probably because I just watched it, Tahir's flight for freedom was a bit like Paul Newman in "Cool Hand Luke." The film runs just a bit over 80 minutes, but its deliberate pace belies the brisk length. There are many quite interludes as we watch the characters with only the film's score (usually bluesy guitar or African chanting) heard.

I should also note that the cinematography and art direction are superb. Haroun not only captures the exquisite African landscape, but finds ways to make the humble homes and modern cities look just as good. There are also quite a few John Ford-style shots of someone standing silhouetted in a doorway, the whole world just outside. These, along with many long shots bring a heartbreaking realization of just how small these people are.

VIDEO:
The picture is presented in anamorphic widescreen with an aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The picture is clean and nearly flawless. The colors are vibrant and do the beautiful cinematography justice.

AUDIO:
The audio is presented in two tracks, Dolby Digital 2.0 and Dolby Digital 5.1. Both come in crisp and clear. More than satisfactory for this dialogue heavy film.

EXTRAS:
Extras include an interview with writer/director Mahamat-Saleh Haroun that runs about 22 minutes.

Plus, two short film by Haroun. They are "Goi Goi" about a husband and his adulterous wife and "B400" about a little girl locked out of her home.

You'll also get the usual liner notes and theatrical trailer, common with most Home Vision releases.

FILM VALUE:
Despite it's slow pace, I was never bored once while watching "Abouna." What you get is a poetic and touching tale about a boy coming-of-age. Fans of Italian Neorealism will also find familiar themes and traits. If you're looking to check out more African films, I'd recommend Ousmane Sembene's "Xala" and "Moolaade", along with Jean Rouch's "Jaguar."