Animation 3D / Animated
film in S3D
Réalisation : Cheikh A. Ndiaye
Scénario : Cheikh A. Ndiaye
Studio : Mac Guff
Durée : 90 min.
Version Originale : Français
Production : Sira Badral Productions
NORA, une fillette d'une dizaine d'année, écoute de la musique quand un lion affamé arrive dans le village. Tous les villageois, morts de peur, s'enferment dans leur maison, sauf NORA. Le lion étonné, s'arrête auprès d'elle. Personne n'a jamais osé lui tenir tête. Alors commence un formidable duel entre le lion et NORA.
Nora prouvera son courage et sa valeur, en affrontant le jeune et puissant lion. Ce combat singulier, aux allures fantastiques et initiatiques, où il n'y aura ni vainqueur ni vaincu, aboutira à un pacte entre NORA et KARO, le lion.
Format
: 35 mm
Durée : 105 min.
Version Originale : Wolof, Français
Soutitrage : Anglais
Production : Sira Badral
Sénégal – Maroc - Burkina Faso - 2006
synopsis
Nalla et Sory sont deux jeunes hommes
de milieux différents. Nalla grâce à sa
rencontre avec le lutteur André, va faire la connaissance
de Malaw le champion de lutte. Celui-ci va lui faire découvrir
le monde de la lutte avec ses suggestions d’héroïsme,
de charisme et de mysticisme. Le
contact de Sory, avec la lutte, se situe dans la périphérie
des arènes. Le jeune homme survit en trafiquant des
billets et en organisant des paris autour des combats pour
une bande de la pègre Dakaroise.
Nalla
and Sory are two young men from a different background. Nalla 17
years old, is from a well suited family of Dakar. Sory is 25, epileptic,
he is unemployed and is surviving through petty crime.
Both of them have nothing in common but traditional wrestling. Sory
has a night life, hanging around bars; he is a gambler, losing often
the income of Sanou, his girlfriend, who regularly gives him money.
This gambling of course creates a tension which leads to violent
arguments always ending in cuddling.
On the contrary Nalla has all he needs. During a walk he is agressed
by a gang of young thugs. Andre, a mechanic resting under his truck
witnesses the agression and comes to the rescue, dismissing the thugs,
this leads to a new friendship. After the movies, Nalla and his friend
Saliou meet a crowd of happy dancers and singers, celebrating the
wrestling season. Under the rolling drums, the young men join the
crowd. Nalla recognizes Andre, in the team of wrestlers. The young
men discover the world of wrestling, with the dancing suggesting
courage, heroism and mysticism. Andre, from that time on, initiates
the boy to wrestling, having him participate to numerous trainings.
A growing friendship will tie the two men.
bande d'anonce
- trailer
Festival : Berlinale 2006, Los Angeles Film
Festival, Edinburgh Film Festival, etc.
Grand Prix Festival de Zanzibar, Mention Festival d'Amiens
presse
- press
Combining sporting prowess and fabulous music,
the promising "The Call of the Arena" dramatically demonstrates
the cultural importance of wrestling in Senegal. Second half will
prove challenging to auds trained in Western storytelling, but yarn
succeeds on its own terms. First feature from Senegalese helmer Cheikh
Ndiaye is blessed by good perfs, including some from wrestlers who
can act. Fests, particularly in Europe, will ring the bell for this
one.
Atmosphere is highly charged from the get-go as 19-year-old Nalla
(Abdoul Aziz Ndiaye) is chased by several muggers in the daylit streets
of his well-to-do Dakar suburb. Wrestling champ Andre (Moustapha
Gueye), fixing his truck near the crime scene, intervenes in the
melee and intimidates the thieves into returning Nalla's property.
While driving Nalla to town, Andre explains the importance of wrestling
and encourages the youth to join his group. The sport quickly becomes
a vocation for Nalla, much to the consternation of his mother, a
domineering and sophisticated upper-class woman who disdains violence
in all its forms.
Pic's opening 45 minutes is a joy. From its initial chase scene to
the rigorous training Nalla is subjected to, the film exudes a fabulous
energy. Helmer is judicious in his use of handheld camera, and his
depiction of the balletic training manoeuvers is pure cinematic pleasure. A subplot focuses on Sory (Ibrahima
Mbaye), an epileptic gambler who gets a job scalping wrestling tickets.
The two yarns essentially intersect only once. Scenes are connected
by music and poetic chants from performers known as "griots" who
act as spiritual cheerleaders for the wrestlers.
While Ndiaye is good in the central role of Nalla and all other perfs
are solid, pic loses some of its dynamism when Andre drops out of
the narrative. Gueye, who plays Andre, is an actual professional
wrestler and something of a superstar in Senegal. He dominates the
screen, not just through sheer physicality but with a charming, reassuring
presence most thesps would kill for. Pic never regains its full power
until the emotional closing shot.
That said, the film's second half is both enchanting and edifying
with its representations and explanations of the importance of spirituality,
music and tradition in Senegalese wrestling. Unfortunately, in terms
of traditional Western narrative, some auds will cry uncle before
reaching the climactic tournament fight.
Helming is astute and lensing high quality. Soundtrack music and
songs from the "griots" are as soulful as they are relevant
to the narrative. Other tech credits are decidedly pro.
Pic was listed in Berlin's Forum catalog as "Wrestling Grounds." - Russel Edwards
Shamans
and punching bags are the cornerstones of 17-year-old Nalla’s
training in this colorful foray into the world of Senegalese wrestling,
a traditional art that has become a national phenomenon. When Nalla
joins a champion team, he learns there’s a spiritual aspect
to the sport, one that goes beyond the muscles, money and the ladies.
Cheikh Ndiaye’s engaging film twists the familiar images
of Africa, cutting from nightclubs to ancestral ceremonies to streets
where boomboxes play and athletes in traditional dress and sneakers
dance their way to victory.
- La Film Festival - presented by the Los Angeles
Times
le réalisateur
"J'ai toujours voulu
faire un film se passant dans le milieu de la lutte. La lecture
de l'Appel des arènes m'a permis d'accomplir ce désir.
Séduit par l'amitié entre Nalla, un garçon
issu d'un milieu aisé, et un lutteur, j'ai eu envie
d'adapter le roman. L'histoire se situe à Dakar. Les
personnages de Nalla et de Sory permettent une lecture à plusieurs
niveaux de la vie d'une ville comme Dakar. Nalla vit dans l'aisance,
tandis que Sory survit tant bien que mal de petites combines.
Son personnage permet de toucher une réalité :
le chômage. Mais aussi une certaine violence de plus
en plus présente dans les grandes villes africaines.
Les deux hommes fréquentent les arènes de manière
différente. Nalla vit les arènes de l'intérieur
grâce à l'amitié qui le lie aux deux lutteurs.
Sory, lui, reste en périphérie. Son personnage
permettra de découvrir l'environnement des arènes,
la vie nocturne de Dakar et l'âpreté du quotidien. Les rôles de Malaw, d'André et
de " Tonnerre " sont interprétés par
de véritables lutteurs. J'ai obtenu l'accord des deux
plus grands champion de lutte : Mohamed Ndao dit " Tyson ",
la star du moment (chacun de ses combats est un événement
national), joue le rôle de Malaw. André est interprété par
un autre champion : Tapha Gueye. Ces deux champions ont ramené le
spectacle dans les arènes. Un lutteur est à la
fois chanteur, danseur et combattant. C'est un artiste. Je veux
que les lutteurs interprètent leur propre rôle afin
de pouvoir capter le naturel des gestes."
- Cheikh Ndiaye
I always wanted to shoot a film about the
world of wrestlers. When I read Aminata Sow Fall’s novel
L‘Appel des arènes (The Call of the Wrestling Arenas),
I knew I could fulfill this wish. The friendship between Nalla
and a wrestler touched me in particular. With the support of the
Amiens Festival, I was able to write a script version of the novel.
The protagonists Nalla and Sory provide the viewer with a glimpse
of the various facets of life in the big city of Dakar. The two
young men approach the wrestling arenas in different ways: Sory
remains more on the margins. In contrast, Nalla’s friendship
with the two wrestlers André and Malaw gives him direct
access to the matches and their inner workings. With Sory we discover
the environs of the arenas, Dakar’s nightlife, and the harshness
of everyday life there. Some of the characters in the film are
played by professional actors, some by amateurs. Real wrestlers
play Malaw, André, and “Thunderbolt“. Two of
them are among Senegal’s most famous wrestlers: Mohamed Ndao,
named “Tyson” is currently the star of the scene. Each
of his fights is a national event. He plays the role of Malaw.
Another successful wrestler, Moustapha Gueye, plays André.
These two wrestlers brought new entertainment value to the matches.
Wrestlers are simultaneously singers, dancers, and fighters - they
are artists. To keep their movements as authentic as possible,
it was important to me to have the wrestlers in the film played
by real wrestlers. - Cheikh Ndiaye
Biography
Cheikh Ndiaye was born in Dakar, Senegal
and studied film editing and directing at the Conservatoire libre
du cinéma français (CLCF) in Paris.
L‘APPEL DES ARENES is his first full-length feature film.