The Dancing Forest reviews
Review by on 23 Sep 2008
A wonderful film. One of the best documentaries I have seen in a long time. I look forward to seeing Lainé's next work.
A wonderful film. One of the best documentaries I have seen in a long time. I look forward to seeing Lainé's next work.
Review by on 21 Sep 2008
Stunningly shot and brilliantly directed by the clearly very talented Brice Lainé, THE DANCING FOREST is a hugely refreshing documentary about Africa, offering a lot more than the usual negative stereotypes of Africa that we are often bombarded with by the media. The film is beautiful and the Togolese women and men featured in it are portrayed lovingly as exceptional people, proud of their work and achievements, enjoying the new type of life that the Centre International pour le Developement Agro-Pastoral (CIDAP) – a development project created by a villager – has given them.
Not only does this informative documentary show us a new way of thinking about and approaching development in Africa, but it is made even more interesting by the evidence of social change and gender liberation that the CIDAP project appears to be bringing to the women (and, subsequently, the men) of Baga. Through the acquisition of modern techniques of agriculture, learning to work as individuals and as a collective, and sharing this knowledge with others, the Bakote women are the driving force behind development in this small village in north Togo.
The specially recorded soundtrack serves to remind us of the village's blending of traditional beliefs with modern enterprising thought which is key to the CIDAP project and ensures its success. International development agencies, along with Western and African governments should take note of this film: there are many lessons to be learned from it.
Becky Hawketts, Festival Daily
Stunningly shot and brilliantly directed by the clearly very talented Brice Lainé, THE DANCING FOREST is a hugely refreshing documentary about Africa, offering a lot more than the usual negative stereotypes of Africa that we are often bombarded with by the media. The film is beautiful and the Togolese women and men featured in it are portrayed lovingly as exceptional people, proud of their work and achievements, enjoying the new type of life that the Centre International pour le Developement Agro-Pastoral (CIDAP) – a development project created by a villager – has given them. Not only does this informative documentary show us a new way of thinking about and approaching development in Africa, but it is made even more interesting by the evidence of social change and gender liberation that the CIDAP project appears to be bringing to the women (and, subsequently, the men) of Baga. Through the acquisition of modern techniques of agriculture, learning to work as individuals and as a collective, and sharing this knowledge with others, the Bakote women are the driving force behind development in this small village in north Togo.
The specially recorded soundtrack serves to remind us of the village's blending of traditional beliefs with modern enterprising thought which is key to the CIDAP project and ensures its success. International development agencies, along with Western and African governments should take note of this film: there are many lessons to be learned from it.
Becky Hawketts, Festival Daily
Film details
The Dancing Forest
DOCUMENTARIES
Director: Brice Lainé
UK, 2008.
76 mins. English.
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