:Sira (film)
{{Short description|2023 drama film by Apolline Traoré}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Sira
| image = Sira film poster.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Promotional release poster
| director = Apolline Traoré
| producer = {{ubl|Apolline Traoré| Denis Cougnaud}}
| writer = Apolline Traoré
| starring = {{Plainlist|
- Nafissatou Cissé
- Mike Danon
- Lazare Minoungou
- Nathalie Vairac}}
| music = Cyril Morin
| cinematography = Nicolas Berteyac
| editing = Sylvie Gadmer
| studio = {{ubl|Araucania Films|Les Films Selmon|One Fine Day Films| Sunuy Films|Canal+}}
| distributor = Wide International Sales & Distribution
| released = {{Film date|2023|2|21|Berlinale}}
| runtime = 122 minutes
| country = {{ubl|Burkina Faso| France|Germany|Senegal}}
| language = {{ubl|French|Fula}}
| budget =
| gross =
}}
Sira is a 2023 drama film written and directed by Apolline Traoré and starring Nafissatou Cissé, Mike Danon, Lazare Minoungou, Nathalie Vairac and Ruth Werner. The film depicts the story of young nomad named Sira, who after a brutal attack refuses to surrender to her fate without a fight and instead takes a stand against Islamist terror.{{Cite web|url=https://cineuropa.org/film/438366/ |title= Sira|first= Apolline |last= Traoré|website= Cineuropa |date=18 January 2023|access-date=25 February 2023 |language=en}} It is a co-production between Burkina Faso, Senegal, France and Germany.
It had its world premiere on 21 February 2023 at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival,{{Cite web|url=https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/436996 |title= The Berlinale adds new titles to Berlinale Special and rounds off its Berlinale Series, Panorama and Generation line-ups|first= Davide |last= Abbatescianni|website= Cineuropa |date=18 January 2023|access-date=25 February 2023 |language=en}} where it won the Panorama Audience Award for Best Feature Film. It was selected as the Burkinabé entry in the Best International Feature Film category for the 96th Academy Awards. Burkina Faso submitted a film for the first time since 1989.{{Cite web|url=https://www.24heures.bf/cinema-le-film-sira-de-apolline-traore-representera-le-burkina-faso-aux-oscars/ |title=Cinéma : le film « Sira » de Apolline Traoré représentera le Burkina Faso aux Oscars|trans-title=Cinema: the film “Sira” by Apolline Traoré will represent Burkina Faso at the Oscars|author=Prisca F. Konkobo|date=15 September 2023
|access-date=17 October 2023 |website=24heures |language=fr}} On December 7, it appeared in the eligible list for consideration for the 2024 Oscars,{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2023/film/awards/oscars-eligibility-animated-documentary-international-feature-2023-1235827670/ |title= Academy Announces 288 Eligible Titles for Animated, Documentary and International Feature Oscar Races |author= Clayton Davis |work= Variety |date= December 7, 2023 |access-date= December 7, 2023 |language=en}} but it didn't make it to the shortlist.{{Cite web|url=https://aframe.oscars.org/news/post/96th-oscars-shortlists |title= 96th Oscars Shortlists Announced for 10 Categories |date=21 December 2023|access-date=22 December 2023 |website= Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences |language=en}}
Synopsis
The film set in the Sahel tells the story of a young Fulani girl, Sira, travelling to meet her groom, Jean-Sidi. Suddenly she and her family are attacked by Islamist terrorists. All the men are shot and the leader of the gang, Yéré, takes Sira and rapes her. Left for dead in the desert, Sira finds herself alone and takes refuge in a cave as she weaves her survival plan.
Cast
File:Sira Berlinale 2023 03.jpg
- Nafissatou Cissé as Sira
- Mike Danon as Moustapha
- Lazare Minoungou as Yere
- Nathalie Vairac as Aissatou
- Ruth Werner as Kemi
- Abdramane Barry as Jean Sidi
- Ildevert Meda as Karim
- Oumou Ba as Djamila
- Seydou Diallo as Tidiane
- Moïse Tiemtore as Faysal
Production
The film received grant from World Cinema Fund (WCF Africa Program) of €39,000 in November 2021.{{cite web|url=https://www.crew-united.com/de/Sira__293444.html |title= Sira, Spielfilm 2021-2023 |trans-title= Sira, Feature Film 2021-2023 |date=2 February 2023 |access-date=27 February 2023 |website=Crew United|language=de}}
The lead actor, Nafissatou Cissé was selected out of more than 1,000 girls, who were auditioned. It was filmed in Mauritania, Northwest Africa.{{Cite web |url=https://cineuropa.org/en/interview/439247/ |title= Apolline Traoré • Director of Sira|first=Teresa |last=Vena |date=25 February 2023 |access-date=27 February 2023 |website=Cineuropa |language=en}}
Release
Sira had its premiere on 21 February 2023, as part of the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival, in Panorama.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2023/film/global/jafar-panahi-joan-baez-fan-bingbing-berlin-panorama-1235492962/ |title='The Siren' to Open Berlinale's Panorama Strand, Jafar Panahi, Joan Baez, Fan Bingbing, George MacKay Feature in Selections|first=Naman|last= Ramachandran|date=18 January 2023 |work=Variety |access-date=25 February 2023}} It is also invited at the 2023 Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou, in competition held from 25 February 2023 to 4 March.{{Cite web|url=https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2023/01/apolline-traore-sira.html|title=African Women in Cinema : Apolline Traoré: Sira - Berlinale et Fespaco - 2023 |author=Beti Ellerson|website=African Women in Cinema |date=28 January 2023 |language=en |access-date=25 February 2023}} It opened the 44th Durban International Film Festival on 20 July 2023.{{Cite web|url=https://ccadiff.ukzn.ac.za/durban-international-film-festival-2023-announces-opening-and-closing-films/ |title= Durban International Film Festival 2023 Announces Opening And Closing Films |date=20 June 2023|access-date=29 October 2023 |website= Durban International Film Festival |language=en}} It was selected at the 54th International Film Festival of India competing for ICFT UNESCO Gandhi Medal, and was first screened on 23 November 2023. It was showcased at the 39th Santa Barbara International Film Festival in 'Non Premiere Feature Films' section in February 2024.{{Cite news|url=https://sbiff.org/2024-program-announcement/ |title= 2024 Program Announcement |publisher= SBIFF |date=January 17, 2024|access-date=January 17, 2024|language=en}}
On 14 February 2023, it was reported that Paris-based sales company Wide has acquired worldwide rights of the film.{{cite web |url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/wide-acquires-apolline-traores-berlinale-panorama-feature-sira-exclusive/5179083.article |title=Wide acquires Apolline Traoré's Berlinale Panorama feature 'Sira' (exclusive) |first= Rebecca |last= Leffler |date=14 February 2023 |access-date=25 February 2023 |website=ScreenDaily |language=en}}
It will compete in the International Competition at 39th Mons International Film Festival held from 8 to 16 March 2024.{{Cite web|url=https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/458282 |title= The curtain rises on the 39th Mons Love International Film Festival |first= Aurore |last=Engelen |date=11 March 2024|access-date=12 March 2024 |website= Cineuropa |language=en}}
Reception
Vladan Petkovic reviewing for Cineuropa praised Nafissatou Cissé writing, "It is Cissé who grabs the audience with her all-out performance, making the film more poignant than a simple rape-revenge set-up." Petkovic appreciated the director Apolline Traoré and Cinematographer Nicolas Berteyac's "complex choreography of numerous characters, animals and vehicles that populate the wide shots". He praised editor Sylvie Gadmer, who he opined, "deftly combines them [shots] with intense close-ups," and composer Cyril Morin, for "mostly well-distributed score". For the film Petkovic opined,"Traoré has devised the story in a way that is both clever and honest", which is set in an exotic location "with a fierce African woman as a protagonist who fights back against all odds". He added, all that makes it a "rare African audience-friendly film to break out internationally."{{Cite web |url=https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/439269/ |title= Review: Sira|first=Vladan |last=Petkovic |date=27 February 2023 |access-date=27 February 2023 |website=Cineuropa |language=en}}
Accolades
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb title}}
- [https://www.berlinale.de/en/2023/programme/202304143.html Sira] at Berlinale
- [https://www.crew-united.com/de/Sira__293444.html Sira] at Crew United
Category:2020s French-language films
Category:Burkinabé drama films
Category:Senegalese drama films
Category:Films shot in Mauritania