And Then There Was Light ( 1989 )

Overview

Events in an idyllic African village are shown in detail in the period just before logging trucks come in and cut down the forest around the villagers, forcing them to move into the wretched shantytowns that surround major cities throughout the undeveloped world. Despite the familiar premise, this surprisingly unsentimental film by Georgian director Otar Ioselliani has several things going for it, beginning with the cinematography and including the natural and unaffected (non-professional) performances of the villagers.

Top Cast

Sigalon Sagna

Badinia

Saly Badji

Okonoro

Binta Cissé

Mzezve

Marie-Christine Dieme

Lazra

Fatou Seydi

Kotoko

Alpha Sane

Yere

Abdou Sane

Bouloude

Souleimane Sagna

Soutoura

Marie-Solange Badiane

Djou

Moussa Sagna

Lade

Ouissman Vieux Sagna

Gagou

Salif Kambo Sagna

Noukoume

Fatou Mounko Sagna

Femme de Yere

Oswalda Olivera

Sedou

Bouba Sagna

Chatoutou