18/07/2003 - Out today - Flora Gomes’ musical comedy about a young African woman’s single-minded determination to become a singer in the face of popular prejudice

Today, Friday 18 July sees the Luxembourg release of an African musical comedy entitled Nha Fala [+see also:
trailer
film profile], directed by New Guinea’s Flora Gomes. This pan-European co-production - Fala’s fourth feature after Po di Sangui, Les yeux bleus de Yonta, Mostu Nega - is the story of a young African woman called Vita (played by Fatou N’Diaye) who is determined to become a singer despite the ancient prejudices of her tribe.

Vita is not allowed to sing because all those who do so come to a sticky end. After travelling to Europe, she decides to break this taboo. The story is almost entirely told through the medium of songs and music, by Manu Dibango, with choreography by Clara Andermatt and Max-Laure Bourjolly. Nha Fala first screened in competition at the 2002 Venice Film Festival and it won the Radio Canada intercultural communications prize at the Views of Africa Festival in Montreal.

Produced by Jani Thiltges for Luxembourg’s Samsa Films, Luis Galvao Teles for Portugal’s Fado Filmes and Serge Zeitoun for France’s Les Films de Mai, Nha Fala was released in France on 16 July.
Flora Gomes is currently working on a documentary about his country’s fight for independence, entitled La République des Enfants.

(Translated from French)