Somewhere in Africa. After ten years of bloody ethnic war, the Nayaks, the President's ethnic group, and the Bonandés, rebels supporting Colonel Theo, are on the point of celebrating the peace agreement. But the reconciliation festivities are overshadowed by the terrible barbarities committed by both sides. Leaving behind the signature humour of her earlier short films, director Fanta Régina Nacro has no qualms about portraying the violence enclosed by the story while leading the story to an unexpected bid for peace. A film by Fanta Régina NACRO Fiction feature, 100' - 2004, colour, 35mm, Dolby SRD Script by Marc GAUTRON and Fanta Régina NACRO R/D : Fanta Régina Nacro - Sc : Marc Gautron, Fanta Régina Nacro - Ph/C : Nara Keo Kosal - M/Ed : Andrée Davanture - S : Dana Farzanehpour - Mus : Troupe Naba Yaadega, Sami Rama, Los Tres Amigos - P : Acrobates Films, Les Films du Défi - 100' - Super 16 - F - Coul/Col - Int/Cast : Naky Sy Savané, Georgette Paré, Cdt Moussa Cissé, Amada Ouédraougo - Contact : Acrobates Films, les Films du Défi Script: Marc GAUTRON and Fanta Régina NACRO Cinematogaphy: Nara Kéo Kosal Sound operator: Dana Farzanehpour Decoration: Bill Traoré Film Editing: Andrée Davanture Sound Editing : Patrice Mendez Mixing: Eric Tisserand Set Photograph: Xavier Lambours Music: Troupe NABA YAADEGA, Sami RAMA, Los Très Amigos. Cast: Naky SY SAVANE (EDNA), Commandant Moussa CISSÉ (THEO), Georgette PARÉ (SOUMARI), Amada OUEDRAOUGO (LE PRESIDENT), Rasmané OUEDRAOGO (TOMOTO), Sami RAMA (FATOU) Capitaine Yves Thombiano (N'GOVÉ) Capitaine Claude Kaboré (YOUBA) Odilia Yoni (TANTE AWA) Cédric Zida (HONORÉ) Raissa Andréa Yoni (MINA) Adama Ouédraogo (LÉONARD) Troupe Naba Yaadéga (LES DANSEURS) Serge Henry (LE CHAUFFEUR) Shooting language: French and Moore Subtitles : French / English / Spanish Shooting location: Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (2003). Post production laboratory: ECLAIR A Co production ACROBATES FILMS ° LES FILMS DU DEFI ° FRANCE 3 CINEMA France Distributor: ACROBATES FILMS World Sales : BRITISH FILM INSTITUTE France release: July 2005 (LES HISTOIRES WEBA, now the new Distributor is ACROBATES FILMS) UK release: BRITISH FILM INSTITUTE - Sept 2005 US release: GLOBAL FILM INITIATIVE - Jan 2006 Burkina Faso release: Jan 2005 Following its distribution by the BFI last September 2008, BFI Video releases on DVD e>The Night of Truth (La Nuit de la Vérité), the audacious feature debut of the award-winning Burkinab female director Fanta Rgina Nacro. Set in an unnamed African country, after ten years of bloody war, The Night of Truth dramatises the process of truth and reconciliation, echoing the recent histories of South Africa, Sierra Leone and Rwanda, and highlights not only the female perspective but also the subtleties and complexities of learning to live together again in trust and respect. Genocide, raw and recent, is not far from the minds of the Nayak and Bonandé peoples who have been locked in a decade of bloody ethnic conflict. Now, the President (commander of the Nayak national army) and Colonel Theo (controller of the rebel Bonand army) are determined to end the conflict. A celebration is arranged, but cynicism remains on both sides and - as the evening wears on - tension mounts. Not only have drums been banned from the musical entertainment, because, in the past, they were used as a call to arms, but many of the women, notably the president's wife Edna, cannot simply forgive and forget. The evening comes to a climax when the village jester Tomota, a Nayak-hater, indignantly decides to beat the drums during the festivities. The sound becomes a trigger that releases the feelings of distrust and fear that have been suppressed by both sides. The Night of Truth was conceived in memory of Fanta Nacro's uncle, accused of inciting a coup, and who was murdered in a horrifically brutal way. Compelling performances from a cast of mainly non-professional actors lend an eerie authenticity to film (all of the men are played by members of the Burkina army). The professional actress Naky Sy Savané is particularly outstanding in her role as Edna, who is grief-stricken over her son's death and harbours a bitter lust for revenge. Her brooding performance conjures an atmosphere of sinister foreboding, demonstrating the extent to which official peace deals are undermined by the lasting psychological wounds inflicted by war. Fanta Nacro was the first woman from Burkina Faso to direct a fiction film (the short Un Certain matin) and The Night of Truth, which has won awards at film festivals around the world, is a stunning example of the rise of African women filmmakers, bringing a new voice and perspective to African cinema. Extras The DVD contains an illustrated booklet with essays, film reviews, an interview with Fanta Regina Nacro, a biography and filmography. Colour Burkina Faso, France Language(s): French, Dioula, Mooré Subtitles: English Published/distributed by BFI ISBN/EAN: 5035673007211 Ratio 1.85:1 Region 2 BFI Price: £10.00 (Including VAT at 20%) Producer/Distributor Website : www.acrobatesfilms.fr/en/pageLibre000102a8.html FESTIVALS / AWARDS MONTBLANC AWARD for Best Screenplay, San Sebastian International Film Festival, "Zabaltegi" - oct 2004 PRIX SCEAU DE LA PAIX, Florence PRIX DU PUBLIC, Festival International des Premiers Films d'Annonay - 2005 PRIX DU SCENARIO au Fespaco, 2005 GRAND PRIX Festival International de Films de Fribourg, 2005 PRIX DU PUBLIC, Festival Panafricana Rome, 2005 PRIX IMAGES DE FEMMES, Vues d'Afrique Montréal, 2005 PRIX BEHIND THE SCENES, Opendoek Turnhout, 2005 TORONTO "Planet Africa", SAN SEBASTIAN "Zabaltegi" NAMUR "Panorama", CARTHAGE "Compétition Officielle", AMIENS "Compétition Officielle", CAPE TOWN "Compétition Officielle", ROTTERDAM 2005 GOTEBORG "Compétition Officielle", FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DES PREMIERS FILMS d'ANNONAY FESPACO "Compétition Officielle" FRIBOURG "Compétition Officielle" FESTIVAL DE PARIS - Avril 2005 TRIBECA New York. MONTREAL VUES D'AFRIQUE OPENDOEK TURNHOUT (Belgique) INNSBRUCK (juin 2005)