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LILI AND THE BAOBAB
FRANCE/SENEGAL, 2006, 90 MIN
DIRECTED BY CHANTAL RICHARD
In French and Pulaar with English subtitles
Southeast Premiere
This compelling, picturesque story reveals a woman finding herself and the world in an emotional journey of discovery worth making. Freelance photographer Lili (Romane Bohringer in a superb performance) is assigned to document Agnam, Senegal, the sister city of her hometown of Cherbourg. There she is warmly welcomed by the community, and she experiences its rich life. She connects to a quietly independent and unmarried woman, Aminata (Aminata Zaaria), not unlike herself, although they share no common language. Economic migration, post-colonialism, and cultural divides are all issues here, but the film avoids the traps of proselytizing and cultural tourism. Instead, it offers a slice of life lived, with Lili seeing the Normandy coast differently upon her return, and also showing the contradictions of the communal lifestyle she leaves behind but does not forget. The strength of both women and Lili’s life-affirming connection with the world under a Senegalese baobab tree gives hope in a film of uncommon depth, intelligence, and beauty.