LINGUI, THE SACRED BONDS Trailer
A mother-daughter relationship is put to the test in Lingui, The Sacred Bonds, the latest from writer/director Mahamat-Saleh Haroun.
When Amina’s teenage daughter, Maria, reveals that she’s pregnant, all sorts of realities run through Amina’s mind. She’s a single mother herself, so she’s well aware of the struggle and judgment that comes with raising a child on your own in Chad. Then Maria reveals something even more rattling: she wants an abortion, something that is both illegal and against what Amina believes is right. Despite the disagreement, they have to stick together to get through, no matter what they end up doing.
This is the first film about women from the acclaimed director, a major shift in content that doesn’t see him lose the beautiful framing and detail that has earned him international attention. Here he’s working with two newcomers as his leads, Achouackh Abakar Souleymane and Rihane Khalil Alio, who each have only one other acting credit to their names.
It’s heavy, tricky material to put on inexperienced actors, giving Haroun little room to stumble as he shifts perspective. And yet the film has earned widespread acclaim during its festival run, which included a premiere at Cannes. With that kind of response, consider this one to look out for.
Lingui is directed by Mahamat-Saleh Haroun and stars Achouackh Abakar Souleymane and Rihane Khalil Alio. It will be released in the US on February 4th, 2022. For international release dates, click here.
Will you check this one out? Let us know in the comments!
Does content like this matter to you?
Become a Member and support film journalism. Unlock access to all of Film Inquiry`s great articles. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about cinema - get access to our private members Network, give back to independent filmmakers, and more.
