Dreams of Dust (2008)

This has to be the yellowest film ever made... landscapes of yellow dust, huts made of yellow straw, men wearing yellow clothes (or more likely, clothes covered with yellow dust)... even the sky is yellow. The only splashes of other colors come in the clothing of the occasional woman. All this makes for a visually interesting effect, much like those old black and white photographs with colors painted on by hand to highlight certain areas. I found this film very interesting, not having been exposed previously to anything about gold mining in Africa, and was not expecting the kind of conditions that it depicts. The portrayal of the characters was done with a lot of dignity, and many themes were touched upon, but neither the themes nor the characters were explored with any depth, which has the effect of making the viewer feel detached from what is happening on screen, although in spite of that, I was able to forget that I was watching a film and enjoy the experience. Perhaps this was intentional. I was quite disappointed that the film didn't seem to have a real conclusion, although, there wasn't really anything to conclude. But real life is not necessarily a series of beginnings and conclusions to stories, and I think this has to be taken as a slice of life. It is definitely worth watching, just to experience a different quality of life.

Dreams of dust is a wonderful film whose title has metaphoric richness. The title is apt as throughout the entire film we witness a ruthless, sensible struggle carried out by poor,hapless people in order to gain prosperity which would enable them to escape from the clutches of poverty.This film is set in Africa and makes a highly effective use of African landscape especially in the scenes where nature comes face to face with human beings.It is for this reasons that scenes involving dust and mines have been shot with great care,insight,maturity and wisdom.In his first film,French director Laurent Salgues has worked hard to give a heart and a soul to the image of Africa.The proof of his genius is evident in the manner he has highlighted the plight of poor African miners who are unable to possess gold for themselves even though there are numerous occasions when they get a chance to own the lucrative yellow metal.Africa has been shown in all its vivid details which enables viewers to establish a sensitive parallel between gold and dust.

Director Laurent Salgues' 'Buried Dreams', opens with the strange sight of people emerging from the earth, as if planted there. This the first among many dream-like images, from Cinematographer Crystel Fournier that Salgues uses to draw us into a cinematic netherworld, skirting the line between the fantastic and a world that at times seems all too real: gritty, greedy and dangerous. The camera also reveals the landscape of an internal world, written on the faces and etched in the hearts and minds of his characters. 'Buried Dreams' is a semi-allegorical tale, its 'Everyman' is Mocktar, played with dignity and nobility by Makena Diop. Mocktar is a refugee from Niger, a 'man with a past'- like so many of classic film/literary characters: men not particularly striving for anything as much as escaping themselves through struggle and survival. Mocktar seeks employment in an Essakane mining camp, run by a greedy, and cowardly buffoon.Here 'mines' are holes in the desert, dug straight down without supports or safety equipment. Miners are given flashlights that they strap to their heads for light and digging tools.All of Mocktar's co-workers are digging for tiny scraps of gold in order to survive, but we learn that they are seeking a currency of another kind, dreams of a better life: marriage, escape & education, restoration of family fortune. In other words, hope. Mocktar befriends Coumba (played with quiet strength by Fatou Tall-Salgues) a young window & mother, attempting to raise her young daughter, amid the squalor and poverty of a desert work camp. Coumba dreams of sending her small daughter away to Paris, to get an education and a better life.Don't miss seeing this rare and beautiful film.

I was able to see this film at the Sundance Film Festival, where the director afterward made poignant commentary on the film, his first work. The movie is set in northern Burkina Faso, where a man from neighboring Niger unexpectedly shows up to work long, hard hours in a gold mine for basically nothing. He has evidently experienced some tragedy in the past, which often haunts him as he goes about his daily tasks. The film explores the man's ability to cope with past mistakes while ensuring a better future for those around him.The film itself is beautifully filmed on location, mostly with Burkinabe or other west Africans. The film does a good job of capturing the misery that is most Burkinabe's lives. The director wanted to send the message that Burkina Faso, like many African nations, has the opportunity to be wealthy, but has problems with foreign intervention and greed, and local corruption. This theme is heavy throughout the movie. However, the film does run a bit slow, with many instances of scenes where nothing is going on for several minutes. If you are an artsy, foreign film lover, than you will probably like this film. If not, it is unlikely that it will capture your attention.