Daratt

In war-ravaged Chad, Atim, an embittered young man, on hearing that the government has decided to grant amnesty to all war criminals, is bent on revenge. He tracks down his father's killer, only to find that instead of a bloodthirsty mercenary, the killer is an ordinary man, a baker. Taken in by the man and his pregnant young wife, Atim is taught to make bread. Slowly a strange bond develops between the two men. One day the older man suggests adoption and Atim is faced with a choice between honouring the traditions of the past or embracing the uncertainties of the future. Taking inspiration from Mozart’s final opera La clemenza de Tito, Haroun emerges with this film as one of the most eloquent voices of African cinema, and delivers a vital meditation on the possibilities for breaking out of the cycle of war and hate that has consumed his continent and now threatens to engulf us all.

Using a simple storytelling style that grows stronger with each passing scene, Dry Season draws the viewer into its small two-character drama set in post-war Chad, while it offers a deep reflection on injustice and frustrated revenge.

Variety