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Bambara Blues

Documentary, 2007, 70 min.

Ami Diarra is a griot in Kayes in Mali. She acts as an unofficial civil servant. At important events like baptisms, weddings or funerals, she sings about the event and the people involved. Furthermore Ami, who sits in a wheelchair due to child polio, is a driving social force. The documentary follows her when with unbridled dedication she tries to organise an information and publicity manifestation about Aids. She tries to obtain permits, calls on everybody to join in, places an order for posters and makes people arrange chairs and microphones. Meanwhile, she openly speaks to everyone about the disease, the circumcision of women and prostitution. And she occupies herself with training the orphan girl Mi, who will succeed her as a griot. Apart from presenting a portrait of Ami, the film describes the difficulties faced by women in Mali and surrounding countries and the strength with which they fight these problems.

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