Well, my mother led the voting in asking for a weekly ramble. I’m surprised at: 1. How many people actually read this; 2. How many people could be bothered to reply; 3. How many people actually want to hear from me once I leave the country. Perhaps you all just want to be sure that I am in a different country?

*** Stuff in Phnom Penh *** (I’ve moved advance notice to the bottom!)
http://outdoorgenius.com

To unsubscribe send an email to pp-unsubscribe@outdoorgenius.com
To subscribe send an email to pp-subscribe@outdoorgenius.com

*** Advance notice ***

The Bophana Center is pleased to welcome you to the movies screening of Gaston KABORE (Birkinabe filmmaker).

1. Wend Kûuni (God’s gift), director Gaston KABORÉ, 1982
67 minutes, English subtitles  
Awarded the Cesar of French-speaking cinema
Wednesday August 08 at 6pm

In Burkina Faso, “at a time when the white man had not yet trodden on Mossi soil”, an orphan found almost dead in the bush by a pedlar holds a mystery. As the child is dumb, his mystery is even more secret. Wend Kûuni is taken in by a family from another tribe who gives him a home and affection. His quiet life as a shepherd is only nicely disturbed by the daughter of the house, Pognéré. Upon discovering a hanged man, Wend Kûuni starts speaking again and tells the story of his past. “In Africa, story-telling and reality are the two faces of the same whole life.” The perspective of a narrative form of story-telling perfectly applies to the social context of the Mossi ethnic community in a period of abundance, as well as to a simple form of dramatic art perpetuating the spirit of story-telling.

 2. Zan Boko, director Gaston KABORÉ, 1988
91 minutes, English subtitles
Friday August 10 at 6pm

Tinga becomes a city-dweller when his native land is incorporated into the urban area. The story shows him exposed to new restrictions, oppressions, and the violence of this new environment where nothing makes him want to live. Tinga, his wife, his two children and a young taciturn journalist are the witnesses of this peculiar tragedy. One of the Mossi rites consists in burying the newborn’s placenta. Such an act is a celebration of the first link between the newborn and the nourishing earth. The burial place where the placenta is set is called Zan Boko.

About Gaston KABORÉ:

Born in 1951 in Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina Faso), PHD in history (Paris Sorbonne), he also studied the cinema at ESEC (Paris). His first film “Wend Kuuni” (God’s gift, 1982) was awarded the Cesar of French-speaking cinema which also earned him international recognition. Then come Zan Boko (1988) and Rabbi (1992). He was head of Cinema National Center in Burkina Faso from 1985 to 1997. Budd-Yam got Fespaco grand award in 1997 and attached 60 000 spectators in 6 months in Burkina Faso.

The screening will take place on the ground floor of Bophana Center (Free admission).

 Welcome!!!

For more information:
http://www.3continents.com/3continents/fiche_dir_eng.jsp?directorid=279
http://www.africultures.com/index.asp?menu=revue_affiche_article&no=2488
http://www.filmfestamiens.org/archives/2002_HOMMAGE_Kabore.html

--    Bophana Audiovisual Resource Center 855(0)23 992 174 #64 Street 200 Daun Penh Phnom Penh Cambodia WWW.bophana.org