The Night of Kings Survive thanks to the words ★★★ ½

À la seconde où le personnage central de Roman lance cet appel, « Peuple de La Maca », au cœur de l’énigmatique prison en retrait d’Abidjan, il sait que son existence a basculé. Il sait qu’il a gagné l’âme des autres détenus. Il sait qu’il vient de sauver sa vie.

Oh !There are still many dangers before the night ends and the Red Moon sets just before dawn, but Roman has therefore understood that in this prison of all dangers, the power of words is theequivalent of a bewitching filter.And he will take the time necessary to make it a suitable learning.

The sun will then get up on an open end, leaving novel alone in front of the spectator in a deserted interior courtyard where he won the right to leave him alone.

This is a fascinating destiny.This is a captivating story that gives us the Ivorian director Philippe Lacôte in a prison drama in the matter, the accent and the singular rhythm.This closed do..

Both beautiful and terrifying, this story carries the completely appropriate title of the night of kings.Côte d'Ivoire candidate for the Oscar for best international film (we will know on Monday if he is a finalist)), this feature film tells the story of a novel (formidable Bakary Koné)), a young man inheriting this nickname when he arrivedIn Maca prison.

In fact, Roman is not a nickname, but a title, because the one who sees himself assigned must tell a story all night to all the other detainees suspended from his lips if he wants to survive.And here, the fate of novel is all the more fragile since the latter arrives when Barbe Noire (Steve holds)), the chief of prisoners, is in the process of being dethroned, which results in a period of great tension.

The mission of telling who awaits novel during the night refers to African oral traditions.So there needed strong dialogues to pay tribute to them.And they are.

But there are also silences, so many moments suspended in space to better make us feel the avalanche of feelings and situations emerging from the four corners of this gloomy establishment: fear, hatred, anger, revenge, but also friendship andsame desire through a transsexual character with the most powerful.

The staging is the amendment of the script.Thus, when Roman is led to the great room where he must accomplish his task, we pass him a mauve satin garment and he advances his face lit by a guide holding a lantern with dozens of prisoners after him.Striking, the effect recalls that of a boxer, eyes in the void, advancing towards his fight.

Furthermore, the story that Roman tells the people of Maca draws from a real story: that of Zama King, a Caïd from the working -class neighborhoods of Abidjan who, the day he lost his ascendant on the people, was wildlylytched to death.

The narrative of a very pictorial novel transports those who listen to it sometimes by the sea, sometimes in the countryside, sometimes in the heart of a duel enamelled with witchcraft and magic realism.What do you have to conclude from it except that people living outside may not be safe than Maca prisoners?

Recall that this co -production is based on a very important contribution from Quebec in technical departments (images, sound, editing, etc..)).

Indoors and vsd on the TIFF platform

Carcéralla Drama Night of Roisphilippe Lacôte with Bakary Koné, Steve holds, Digbeu Jean Cyrille and Denis Lavant1 h 33 ★★★ ½