Un fleuve humain

In Mali, the inland delta of the Niger river is made up of a labyrinth of streams, lakes, islands, and many different ethnicities. Un fleuve humain opens with the calm majesty of the river, with the plains and the sky lost in the mists on the horizon. We see the river through the eyes of those whose lives depend on it- the dugout builder who explains how his boats must be in harmony with the river and the boat skipper who shows how to read the currents and movements under the surface. The fish seller worries about the disappearance of the rushes, and with them the sheltering fish. The shepherd relates how all the big predators have gone as the cattle suffer from lack of water. They each have their perception of the river: its beauty, its power to nourish, its depth and breadth. The river is a living thing, slowly dying before our eyes. This documentary has a sculptural beauty – the portrait of Niger and its people is crafted with such care that the filmmaker seems to disappear, the extraordinary images taking on a life of their own. (DOK.fest München)