Chad

Abouna Film Difficulty Ranking: 2

How many films from Chad have you seen? In fact, how many African films have you seen? Probably not enough. Abouna is one of the better coming-of-age films you’ll see, plus it’s one of the most beautifully shot films you’ll see. Transport yourself to Chad for a while by watching Abouna here (on YouTube).

Why Watch Abouna?

• To see a great film from Chad to boost your film cred
• If you love coming-of-age films (for more check Colours of the Mountain and Mustang)
• For some beautiful cinematography!
• Hear Chadian Arabic and French!

The Breakdown

Abouna starts with an expansive shot of some desert sand dunes. A man walks across the sand whilst guitar music plays. He comes towards the camera, looks straight us, and walks off, across another sand dune and into the distance. It’s like a classic western shot of a cowboy riding off into the distance.

After the credits roll, two brothers 15 and 8 take the centre stage. They’re annoyed as their dad didn’t show up to ref their football game. They go home looking for him but there is no sign of him.

Their individual loneliness is captured in some beautiful shots of each of the characters with empty space surrounding them. For example, in the shot below, Amine (the younger brother) walks along the street on his own.

Without the empty space to frame the picture, everything would appear normal. But with the black empty space to frame the picture, the shot becomes more melancholy. Amine is on his own and has to take care of himself.

Conclusion

Simply put, Abouna is a great film. So watch the film and transport yourself to Chad for a while. Watch it here on YouTube.