Chadian women take center stage in Berlinale competition entry 'Soumsoum'

Chadian filmmaker Mahamat‑Saleh Haroun said on Thursday that his new Berlin Film Festival competition entry "Soumsoum, the Night of the Stars" stems from a desire to highlight the women he believes are central to Chad's social fabric.

"They are those who transmit the memory of a lot of things," he told Reuters ahead of the premiere.

"And in a country like Chad, where we have civil war for decades, I think that tenderness and friendship is a kind of resistance to the violence," added the director who has previously won jury prizes at the Cannes and Venice festivals.

The landlocked Central African country has experienced a nearly continuous series of civil wars and internal conflicts since it gained its independence from France in 1960.

The film follows 17-year-old Kellou, played by newcomer Maimouna Miawama, who grapples with understanding newfound supernatural powers that make her unwelcome in the village.

She forms a bond with Aya, played by Achouackh Abakar Souleymane, an older outcast striving to preserve mystical and cultural traditions as her own time comes to a close.

THE STRENGTH OF WOMEN

Miawama said stepping into her first lead role had been deeply emotional.

"I'm very proud of myself, but it was also challenging, as I had to focus more on expressing emotions through my face than delivering dialogue," she said.

The film's message about the strength of women resonated with her, and she hopes female viewers walk out feeling empowered.

"I hope that by looking at this, they can step out of their comfort zone, stop saying 'I'm inferior' and be able to achieve great things, face challenges," she said.

Souleymane, who starred in Haroun's previous feature "Lingui, The Sacred Bonds", emphasised the resilience of women.

"We have this duty to be strong and courageous, but also to ensure that good things are passed on because we are the ones raising children," she said.

"Soumsoum" is competing against 21 other films for the festival's Golden Bear top award that will be handed out on February 21.

-Swantje Stein/Reuters