Director: Daniel Kollo Sanou
Country: Burkina Faso
Year: 2003
Runtime: 90 minutes
Language: More and French with English subtitles

TASUMA is an absolute winner, an utterly charming rumination on French colonialism; and the role of elders, women, and children in small African communities. Sogo Sanon has been trying to claim his military pension for decades; his plight reminds us the French military filled its ranks with Blacks from numerous French colonies in Africa. Finally assured that his pension will arrive ”tomorrow,” Sogo Sanon buys a mill to lighten the burden of the village women who must grind their grain, by hand, on a daily basis. Of course, the pension does not arrive. In what seems like a turn towards the violent, Sogo Sanon takes a hostage and forces him to write a letter to the long-dead General Charles de Gaulle. Never fear. The women and children mount a crusade in support of the village elder. The songs are wonderful and make a major contribution to the feel-good tone of a film you may want to see more than once. ~ Nick Salerno

Principal Cast: Mamadou Zerbo, Bésani Raoul Khalil, Aï Keita, Noufou Papa Ouedraogo

Music: Cheick Tidiane Seck
Photography: Nara Keo Kosal