Tata, Huit Huit, Sonko, Waterman and George are not typical migrants. The five africans from different home countries are successful artists. They earn their own and their extended families' living performing in the circus "Africa!Africa!", which is touring throughout Europe.
"back to africa" accompanies the protagonists for a year: at rehearsels, at the show first of all on visits to their families and native countries.
Beyond catastrophies the film traces the different personalities' extraordinary energy and partly adventorious biographies. It imparts very personal insights into african ways of living and shows spectacular images of the protagonists' closer surroundings and wide landscapes. The film immerses into the feeling of comfort of a life in an african extended family as well as the artists' inner split between their lives in Africa and in Europe.
The traditional african music played by Tata on the Cora or the sweeping drum rhythms of the different dance choruses highlight the films' scenes and give an impression of the richness of african culture.
"back to africa" a film that allows unusual insights in the soul of africa and without falling back to clichés paints a different, a positive picture from this continent and his power.
Documentary film
HD-CAM/Faz 35mm, 97 mins.
Written and directed by: Othmar Schmiderer
Camera: Herman Dunzendorfer, Moritz Giselmann, Othmar Schmiderer
Editor: Sarah Levin, Peter Pryzgodda
Sound: Frank Heidbrink
Sounddesign: Nils Kirchhoff
With Ebraima Tata Dindin,Georges Momboye,Makaya Dimbelolo,Mingue Diagne Sonko,Dickson Opong
Completion: February 2008
Co-Production A/D: Langbein&Skalnik/Peter Rommel Productions
Funded by: ORF Film/Fernsehabkommen, WDR/ARTE, Österr.Filminstitut, Eurimages, Medienbord Berlin-Brandenburg GmbH, Deutscher Filmförderfonds
Global distribution: Match-Factory
Opening film Diagonale, Graz/April 2008
Filmfestival Crossing Europe Linz 2008
Filmfest München 2008
IDFA Int. Dok. Filmf. Amsterdam 2008
Int. Dok-Filmf. Thessaloniki 2009
Mountainfimfestival Telluride 2009 etc.
Website: www.backtoafrica.de
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