Rarely have I been so impressed by a film as quiet as the Screaming Man.
Nearly all of Adam Ousmane's (Youssouf Djaoro) emotion is held in check, yet it is clear he is howling from within.
Adam is a former swimming champion who has worked for 30 years attending the pool of a luxury hotel in Chad's capital.
It is a post he takes so seriously that he has managed to get his son Abdel (Dioucounda Koma) a job as his assistant.
For the early part of the movie his content life is skethced out.
Even his surroundings surprised me. While his family's life is frugal, the city of N'Djamena seems prettier, wealthier and less chaotic than cities in other war-torn African states.
Adam is happy to be one of life's spectators but soon his world unravels.
Firstly, the hotel management decide to take him off pool duty and leave Abdel in charge and then he is under pressure to give money to the army's cause.
The alternative is that he should give his son over to the army.
As said, The Screaming Man is an ironic title because Adam's maelstrom is entirely within himself and for much of the film there is quiet dialogue or even silence.
But seldom have I seen quietness used so effectively.
Director Mahamat-Saleh Haroun has done a super job here. His movie both looks good and his characters, particularly Adam, are wonderfully rounded despite being anything but showy.
He asks big questions of life attitudes without ever dissolving into anything like Hollywood cliched answers.
The denouement is haunting and a particular success.
Rating? 8/10
PS Thanks to Harriet at Soda Pictures for the DVD preview copy.
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