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Cinema · Signature work

Barkomo
— La Grotte

The film

In seventeenth-century Dogon Country, Yamio, humiliated because she has no child, survives a fall from a cliff and finds refuge in a kingdom struck by drought and misfortune. Her journey meets the legend of the founding of the village of Barkomo.

The first feature by Boucary Ombotimbé and Aboubacar Bablé Draba, the film was shot in Mori, among the Bandiagara cliffs. Aboubacar served as co-director, co-cinematographer, editor and producer.

Original poster for the film Barkomo
Original posterDark-Face Films · October 2018

Verified credits

Directing
Aboubacar Bablé Draba · Boucary Ombotimbé
Screenplay
Boucary Ombotimbé
Cinematography
Aboubacar B. Draba · Moussa Soumbounou
Editing
Aboubacar B. Draba
Sound
Toumani Keïta
Music
Bourama Traoré — LIL B
Sound mix
Mamadou Sidibé
Set design
Association Ondopri
Production
Dark-Face Films
Cast
Salimata Tapily · Boucary Goimba · Ousmane Kassogué · Daouda Ombotimbé

Production

Made in fourteen days with a volunteer team, Barkomo was produced without external funding, apart from in-kind support from Corian Média Prod. The declared budget was approximately 1.5 million CFA francs, and the shooting and editing equipment belonged to Aboubacar Bablé Draba.

The directors conceived the film as a tribute to the Barkomo cave, historically used as both a granary and a refuge, and as a way to carry forward Dogon culture and cosmology.

Circulation

  1. FESPACOOuagadougou · February 2019Official Competition · World premiere
  2. Vues d’AfriqueMontreal · April 2019Regards sur la relève
  3. FIFDAParis · September 2019Official Competition · European premiere
  4. CinemabrutMarseille · September 19, 2019Competition
  5. Lumières d’AfriqueBesançon · November 16, 2019Out of competition
  6. Cinewax OAFFOnline · November–December 2019“The African Dream” selection

Trailer & film