The title of the short film Le rêve brisé loosely translates to The Unreachable Dream.

It was directed by Béde Modeste GANAFE MOFEDOGNA, a Burkinabe filmmaker who is an old hand when it comes to filmmaking. The multiple award-winning filmmaker graduated with a film degree from Paris, France.
In the 26 minutes short, the director manages to paint a contemporary
face of Africa. Pablo, a 30 year old male barber and masseurs encounters an aging white client in the course of his work, who eventually puts him on a collision course with his family and values. With a promise of white romance and wealth, the young man gets trapped. But there is a dilemma as he has a young family and a baby that is about to be delivered. When an offer to travel to Belgium for a better life comes his way, he grabs it at the expense of his fiancé. That comes days before delivery of their baby.

But not everything that glitters is gold, the young man later learns. While in Belgium, the good life finally crumbles and he must travel back home with a mysterious disease that puts him on a wheelchair. Hit with the new reality, Pablo reminisces on his better days, and the warnings he ignored from friends. But it's already too late.The love drama portrays a common trend where Africans forsake their own in favour of foreign but eventually regret it comes to bizarre. Overall, the director does a good job of directing his actors. But there are moments actors fail. For instance, the main actor fails on kissing his wife, instead offering a plastic kiss.

On the other hand, the footage shot was quite interesting because the close up shots show the emotional depth of actors and actresses. With some comic relief, the viewer is urged to keep watching the unfolding drama. On editing, the linear option that avoids complicated scenes makes the story both spontaneous and engaging. The simplicity of the story takes the crown. The director also avoids abstracts and goes straight to the point. He chooses real sequences that titillate the senses it was seen during and after the screening, warning them of such diversions that lead one to regrets in life.Easily, the film manages to create awareness and entertainment while drawing the attention of the masses. Sensitization is not only the matter of those in charge of protecting people from their houses but, a framework of what patriotism means.

Definitely this movie is not a hoax; it captures a real issue that Africa has to contend with every day.

Pierre Patrick TOUKO (Cameroon)

Africiné, The Magazine of the African Federation of Film Critic (AFFC / FACC) - www.africine.org

Africiné Magazine issue no.2 - Wednesday 27 February 2019, page 7 - FESPACO 2019 /// 26th edition

This magazine is published by the Fédération Africaine de la Critique Cinématographique (FACC). The publication was made possible thanks to the support of La Francophonie, Africalia Belgium, the Goethe-Institut and Ascric-B. It is produced by a collective of 42 African journalists from 23 countries.

Director of Publication : Khalil Demmoun

Editorial committee
Sid-Lamine Salouka
Abraham Bayili
Ahmed Shawky
Robert Mukondiwa
Fatou Kiné Sene
Pélagie N'Gonana
Charles Ayetan
Yacouba Sangaré
Espéra Donouvossi

Layout: Korotimi Sérémé
Impression : IGIP / +226 70 15 15 80
E-mail : faccbureau@gmail.com