Director

Souleymane Cissé

Cast list

Issiaka Kan: Niankoro, le fils

Aoua Sangare : Attou, la jeune femme Peul

Niamanto Sanogo : Soma le pere / Djigui the twin

Balla Moussa Keita : Rouma Boll, le roi Peul

Soumba Traor: Mah, la mere

Ismaila Sarr: Bofing, l'oncle

Youssouf Tenin Cissé: Le petit garcon d'Attou

Koke Sangare : Le chef de Komo

Credits

Produced by:

Souleymane Cissé producer

Music by: Salif Keita, Michel Portal

Cinematography by:

Jean-Noël Ferragut , Jean-Michel Humeau

Film Editing by:

Dounamba Coulibaly, Andrée Davanture, Jenny Frenck , Nathalie Goepfert , Seipati Keita, Marie-Catherine Miqueau, Seipati N'Xumalo

Production Design by: Kossa Mody Keita

Costume Design by: Kossa Mody Keita

Synopsis

The visual patterning in Souleymane Cissé's film Yeelen reinforces the coming of age, journey motif and the parallel structure of a myth. Nianankoro’s mother sends him on a journey in which he travels from childhood to adulthood and must struggle against his father to find his own destiny. The struggle against the father counters the reformative new with the corrupted older tradition.

Reviews

Caryn James, "Yeelen". The New York Movie review

Accolades:

• Ranked #94 in Empire magazines “The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema” in 2010.