[Berlinale 2021, Forum] “Just movement”: triggering a revolutionary life with a very open form

An action Impressive image of Senegal portrait Diome of Omar Blonde, Who is a Maoist activist Lived in Nanter and Paris on May 68 When he was twenty-one, Played on Chinese of Jean-Luc Goddard, Led revolutionary operations in Senegal as in France, and was later imprisoned on the island of Coca-Cola, in the Gulf of Tucker, where he died in 1973 under obscure circumstances, at the age of twenty-six.

To tell what this man is, his presence and his thoughts, his family members are revealed on the screen, at the right intervals. They say, Relaxedly shot in shadows from non-front angles. From the beginning, Moving to other places, A documentary can be created within this film, but that format mixes temporals and transforms images of very different natures – Senegal’s latest scenes, interviews, archives, film extracts… – to achieve the poetic essay. A life that cannot be limited to facts and thoughts, the life of Omar Blonde Diop is directed here in a kaleidoscopic film, with dynamic changes and transformations to illuminate this revolutionary existence in different ways.

A balance in permanent motion

His ” Events 19 His meeting with Jean-Luc Goddard in 1968 at the University of Nantes Anne Vyasemsky And his participation Chinese, He was expelled from France – where he will be allowed to return with the condition that he stop politics – and then his Opposition engagement in Senegal led by Senegal. Although Pompeo is to be visited, there are protests against the conduct of French exercises there, and French flags are being hung everywhere, as a sign of disagreement: Omar Bland’s Diop, then in Paris, seeks to return to Senegal for political release. Later, because of a protest plan involving a kidnapping – he actually stopped implementing it – he was arrested and later imprisoned on Corey Island, where he died.

68 As soon as the movement began, ” He found that the African reality was undeniable for all available ideological thought projects“One of the people who talk about Umar says, referring to the latter He then questioned himself about his life and the forms in which his opposition was to take action. After the death of Umar, another speaker quoted Caesar as saying: With you, like Mobutu, intellectuals are dying at the dead end ? Some of those interviewed come to terms with their own political thinking at the time and their desire to act in Senegal. Almost always with a calm and confident voice. When Omar finally mentions that he is dead, a crack suddenly ends.

An image was seen at the turn, even today, by the director

Throughout the film, Views of contemporary urban Senegal See provided. In the curve of a project, a site portal labeled “Shanghai Construction” catches the eye, for example: these images, without any superfluous effect, provoke a lot. Protests of the 21st century have rocked the country – especially exposing resource corruption. Including by Work Some rappers, Listen at one point in the film, specifically referring to France.

Then we see Omar Blond’s Diop again Chinese. His scenes in Goddard’s film are given notice. In fact, he does not act: he is who he is, on screen, he lives in space with his underground and intense interest, expressing his ideas to the actors. After all, we see it Try to be there to reveal what he is wearing in terms of resistance, Rooted in an era. We say it ourselves An action, Its director Vincent Mason He tracks the image of Omar Blond Diop, through his own time, his country’s past, and the moments he filmed. Decades after his death, his aim is to wonder if Umar is still alive. We follow him.

An action, In Vincent Mason, Screened as a part Berlinale 2021, In Forum section.

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