In 2019, Nafi’s Father won the Best First Feature at Locarno for Senegalese director Mamadou Dia. For his second film, Demba also set in his hometown of Matam, in the north of the country he comes to Berlinale’s Encounters section. The main topic is mental health; he mixes up reality with memories and flashbacks and delusions to an extent that it all becomes unrecognisable. It’s a stylistically impressive picture that lacks narrative clarity.
The protagonist is a fifty-something city-hall worker played by Ben Mahmoud Mbow who gets fired after 27 years. According to the mayor, Demba’s childhood friend who says this decision is due to their digitalisation project which should simplify bureaucratic procedures but renders our hero redundant rumours suggest it might be because he’s difficult; something his estranged son Bajjo (Mamadou Syla) also seems to believe.
Demba does seem unreasonably explosive and confrontational at times. But what nobody realizes is that the man is severely depressed: it’s been two years since his wife died so now he has no job either. He keeps coming back in his shabby suit and tie with a battered briefcase to protest about this injustice physically attacking people sometimes.
Mbow plays him with what can only be described as all-out naturalism tinged with despair frenzy and anger. Often framed by DoP Sheldon Chau in mirrors or seen through windows clear signs of an increasingly fractured mind this actor has never seemed more like Demba before. Demba needs Bajjo. Demba wants Bajjo close.Bajjo works at an internet cafe where Demba tries unsuccessfully several times until Oumy (Aicha Talla), the young man’s girlfriend helps them connect.
As Demba continues losing touch with reality so too does any semblance of following along with what happens next in the story. First off there are a few flashbacks to Demba’s time with his wife which either imply confusion in his memories or guilt could this also be about redemption? Then at one point certain events seem foreshadowed by narrative elements and then later on something else from Demba’s past is brought up again blurring even further the lines between different levels.
In general throughout the movie colours are strong and contrast is high creating an intense atmosphere but “non-reality” segments have a hazy quality supported by music and sound design too. However, as these techniques become increasingly jumbled up viewers start questioning everything they see. A few of them might think that because a couple of scenes seemed so strange maybe their interpretation must have been wrong all along.
Should Dia have intended to immerse us in the violently shattered inner world of the hero, then he has certainly accomplished that. In his press notes, it is said that depression does not even exist as a word in his mother tongue , thus showing how Demba’s state of mind is understood within his community. The movie also features hallucinatory and sometimes scary scenes about ancient local traditions which would be enigmatic to most international viewers.
Allegedly, at this moment in time the audience’s experience should reflect on their lack of comprehension for what Demba goes through though by now some might have been turned off by how narrative-heavy this film is. Mbow is an arresting actor with a stunning performance where he embodies pain and despair so deeply that you can’t help but think it must be hard for anyone watching after they’ve lost track of what’s happening.
Demba was produced by Senegal’s Joyedidi Films and Germany’s NiKo Film. The international rights are held by The Party Film Sales, based in Paris.
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