April in Paris French and Francophone Film Festival – LINGUI

Director: Mahamat Saleh Haroun

2022, France/Chad, 87min.

Cast: Achouackh Abakar, Souleymane, Rihane Khalil Alio

 

When a 15-year-old girl is pregnant but is not ready to become a mother, is it a matter for herself, her mother, her religion or the state to decide when and if she can terminate her pregnancy? This not-unfamiliar question plays out in outskirts of N’Djamena in Chad, with Maria and her compassionate mother Amina believing it should be a private matter. Although Amina has been shunned for her own earlier transgressions, she looks to the women in her village to find support. “Shines a light on Chad’s strict patriarchal laws, but also the powerful connections women form to help each other survive” – Marya E. Gates, RogerEbert.com. Join us for a discussion after the film with Doyle Calhoun, Language and Culture Studies, Trinity College.