Awa, a 15-year-old schoolgirl, is happily living her teenage years alongside her twin brother Adama. When their grandmother dies, her aunt and uncle promise to marry in order to preserve the family union. But Fatou does not love Atoumane and the latter, tired of waiting to consummate his marriage, commits an irretrievable act.

starring / avec
Nguissaly BARRY, Rokhaya NIANG, Ibrahima MBAYE Tché, Mabèye DIOL

a film by / un film de
Moussa SÉNE Absa

Senegal / Ivory Coast, Feature Fiction, 1h41, Drame, in Wolof / French, DCP

Feature Fiction / Long métrage de fiction

After Tableau Ferraille (Prix de la meilleure image, Fespaco 1997) and Madame Brouette (Ours d'argent, Berlinale 2002), Xalé is the third part of Moussa Sene Absa's Trilogy.

NOTE BY THE PROGRAMMER
Awa and Adama are 15-year-old siblings living in a neighbourhood on the outskirts of Dakar. Awa, bright and intelligent, excels at school. Adama prefers to sell trinkets on the street and has his eyes set upon the precarious journey across water to Europe. Following the death of their grandmother, the children stay with their uncle Atoumane, who is arranged to be married to their cousin Fatou. But she has no feelings for Atoumane and her rejection of him catalyses an act of violence that tears the family apart. Ten years later, Atoumane returns to the village, where there is a sense of trepidation, particularly felt by Awa, whose life was irrevocably altered by him.
Moussa Sène Absa's tragic thriller, which receives its world premiere at the LFF, is a stark portrait of the hardships many women face in Senegal.
- Keith Shiri

Original title / Titre Original : XALÉ, LES BLESSURES DE L'ENFANCE
International Title (English) / Titre international (Anglais) : Xalé
Title (France) / Titre (France) : Xalé
Other Title (in English) / Autre Titre (en Anglais) : XALÉ: CHILDHOOD WOUNDS
Runtime / Durée : 101' (1h41 minutes)
Type / Type : Feature Fiction / Long-métrage Fiction
Genre : Drama / Drame
Languages / Langues de tournage : Wolof, French / Wolof, français
Subtitles / Sous-titres : English, French / Anglais, français
Countries of Production / Pays de Production : Senegal, Ivory Coast / Sénégal, Côte d'Ivoire
Year of production / Année de production : 2022
Year of Release / Année de Sortie : 2022
Colors / Couleurs : Color / Couleur
Aspect Ratio / Format Image :
Sound Mix / Format Son :
Estimated Budget / Budget prévisionnel :
TAGS : Rape, Viol, Children, Pédophilie, Immigration, Migrations


CAST / ACTRICES-ACTEURS
Nguissaly BARRY.................................................. Awa
Rokhaya NIANG.................................................. Cousine Fatou
Ibrahima MBAYE Tché......................................... Uncle Atoumane / Oncle Atoumane
Mabèye DIOL.................................................. Adama
Moussa SÉNE Absa........................................... Choir Member / Membre du Choeur

Produção / PRODUCER / PRODUCTRICE :
Sokhna Séne
Laurent Bitty


EXECUTIVE PRODUCER / PRODUCTEUR DÉLÉGUÉ :

DIRECTOR / REALIZAÇÃO / RÉALISATEUR :
Moussa SÉNE Absa

Guionista / Screenwriters / Scénariste :
Moussa Sène Absa
Ben Diogaye Bèye
Pierre Magny
Adapted from the Novel "Adama et Awa", written by Mandir N. Thiaw
Adapté de "Adama et Awa" de Mandir N. Thiaw

Dir. de Fotografia / Director of Photography / Directeur de la photo :
Amath NIANE

Director de Som / Sound Recordist (Sound Engineer) / Ingénieur du son :

Música / Composer (Original Music) / Musique :

Montagem / Editing / Montage :
Pape Mbengue

Sound Editor / Monteur son :

Dialogue Editor / Monteur Dialogues :

Direcção de Arte / Production design / Décors :

Costumes design / Costumes :

Sound Mixing / Mixage :

Gerente de Produção / Unit production manager / Directeur de production :

Assistente Realização / First Assistant Director / 1er Assistant Réalisateur :

Assistente Realização / Second Assistant Director / Second Assistant Réalisateur :

Assistente Realização / 3rd Assistant Director / 3ème Assistante Réalisatrice :

Makeup artist / Maquillage :

Script supervisor / Script-Girl :

Special makeup effects artist / Maquillage Effets Spéciaux :

Boom operator / Perchiste :

Key grip / Chef Machiniste :

First Assistant camera / 1ère Assistante cadreuse :

Second Assistant camera / Second Assistante cadreuse :

Gaffer / Chef Electricien : :

Orchestra contractor / Chef d'orchestre :

Score Recorded & Mixed by / Musique Enregistrée et Mixée par :

Score recording and mixing assistant / Assistant Enregistrement et Mixage Musique :

Location Manager / Régisseur :

Transportation Captain / Responsable Transports :

Set photography / Photographe de plateau :

Behind the scenes footage / Tournage Making-of :

Creative director / Creative director :

Illustration / Illustrations (Générique) :

THANKS / REMERCIEMENTS :


PRODUCTION / PRODUCTION :
Set Bet Set Productions (Sénégal)
Les Films du Continent (Côte d'Ivoire)

WITH THE SUPPORT OF / AVEC LE SOUTIEN DE
FOPICA (Sénégal)
FONSIC (Côte d'Ivoire)
Fonds Images de la Francophonie (Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, Paris)
Canal Plus International (France)
Red Sea Fund (Arabie Saoudite)



PARTNERS / PARTENAIRES


DISTRIBUTION

VENTES / SALES
Sudu Connexion (France)

CONTACT (Print Copy / Diffusion du film, Festivals)



RELEASE / SORTIE SALLES



FESTIVALS - AWARDS / PRIX

* FESPACO 2023 /// Sélection Etalon de yennenga
(25 fév. au 04 mars)
www.fespaco.org

* Representing Senegal at Best International Film Oscar /// Academy Awards (Los Angeles, USA, 2023)

* Best Actress Award / Prix de la Meilleure Actrice, to Nguissaly BARRY ("Awa") /// Journées Cinématographiques de Carthage (JCC) - Carthage Film Festival (Tunisia, 2022) | www.jcctunisie.org/eng/filmsDetail.php?id_film=6

* World Premiere / Première Mondiale //// BFI, London (UK, 2022)