Heremakono (Waiting for Happiness) (Mali: 2002)

Director

Abderrahmane Sissako

Cast list

Khatra Ould Abder Kader... Khatra
Maata Ould Mohamed Abeid... Maata
Mohamed Mahmoud Ould Mohamed... Abdallah
Fatimetou Mint Ahmeda... Soukeyna, the mother
Nana Diakité... Nana
Makanfing Dabo... Makan
Santha Leng... Tchu
Baba Ould Mini... Sidi
Mickaël Onoimweniku... Mickaël
Diallo Ibrahima Sory... Diallo
Cheick Oumar Tembely... Omar
Jerib Ould Jiddou... Le chauffeur de taxi
Mohamed Salem Ould Dendou... Le docteur
Mohamed Lemine... Le réparateur électricien
Aminala Tembely... La petite fille aux tresses

Credits

Written by Abderrahmane Sissako

Synopsis

Khatra, a spirited boy, wants an electric light because he wants to read at night. Maata, a stoic older man, tries to wire the room. Abdallah, a youth on his way to Europe, says good-bye to his mother. Nana looks back on the death of her daughter and her trip to Europe to inform the father. A girl takes singing lessons. Rooms have small windows, looking out onto foot traffic; transistor radios provide some link beyond. Huge ships anchor in the distance. The train comes through, stopping briefly. Offering a cigarette is a gesture of hospitality. Sand dunes and the ocean dominate the landscape. Hope springs amidst small expectations.

Reviews

Dennis Grunes, HEREMAKONO (Abderrahmane Sissako, 2002), Grunes (blog)

Josh Ralskem, Waiting for Happiness (2002) - Review Summary, NY Times (online magazine)

Ed Gonzalez, Waiting for Happiness, Slant Magazine (online magazine)

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Film Review - Waiting for Happiness, Spirituality and Practice (multifaith and interspiritual website)

David Rooney, Review: "Waiting for Happiness", Variety Magazine (online magazine)

Academic Articles:

Daressa, Larry. “Heremakono (Film).” Cineaste 28.4 (2003): 72. Academic Search Premier. Web. 17 April 2014.

Tissières, Hélène. “Heremakono d’Abderrahmane Sissako: traversée poétique et rayonnement pictural.” Canadian Journal of African Studies/La Revue canadienne des études africaines 44: 345-361. Web. 17 Apr. 2014.

Other movies from Mali made in

Title Country Year Director More infos
Heremakono (Waiting for Happiness) Mali 2002 Abderrahmane Sissako
Kabala Mali 2002 Assane Kouyate
Sorry, there's no movie with the same year.