1990: the Burkinabe “Maestro” Idrissa Ouedraogo prevails with Tilaï

The filmmaker’s third film offers viewers a Greek tragedy in a village in Burkina Faso. We follow Saga, who announces his return from the mountains by blowing his whistle only to discover that his father is about to marry Nogma, his betrothed. Defying customs and traditions, Saga and Nogma risk their lives to carry on their love story in secret.

“Tilaï” means law, conduct, honor. The film shows harsh, cracked, arid landscapes that are a far cry from the esthetic picture of La Captive du désert (Captive of the Desert) by Raymond Depardon, filmed in neighboring Niger. Idrissa Ouedraogo’s film, shot on a much smaller budget than that of his fellow contenders in the Competition, draws its strength from the rural scenery, the heavy silences of these characters portrayed by non-professional actors to convey a vision that does not revert to folklore or stereotype. Tilaï questions the place of the individual in society in a work filled with technical challenges.