Few modern filmmakers from within the continent have done more to bring Africa to a global stage than Mahamat Saleh Haroun, whose career is populated with many hard-hitting films that look at serious issues plaguing many communities on a continent that is rarely afforded many opportunities to be explored critically through film on many international platforms. Some of his work is remarkably difficult to watch, primarily because of the themes that he often uses as the foundation for his films, which vary in subject matter, but always keep a tone that is consistent with the director’s fervent efforts to represent Africa in a way that draws attention to important issues, as well as being artistically-resonant. His most recent offering is Lingui, The Sacred Bonds (French: Lingui, les liens sacrés), which focuses on a young woman living in working-class Chad, and who discovers to the shock of her community that she has fallen pregnant. She seeks out an abortion, which is both illegal based on laws of the country, and morally wrong under the teachings of her religion – but regardless of the limitations, she and her mother go in search of a resolution, even if it means facing dire consequences. Lingui, The Sacred Bonds is one of the year’s most powerful films, an unflinching and hauntingly beautiful story of resilience in the face of adversity that once again proves the director’s incredible vision, as well as his ability to craft the most simple but evocative stories that transcend many boundaries to be expertly-crafted texts that are as rivetting as they are outright heartbreaking.

The film takes place in the present day, albeit in a part of the world that still carries archaic views about what constitutes as decent, governing the bodies and souls of its citizens with an almost fiery dedication to upholding outdated views, rather than adapting to more progressive laws and values. However, Haroun’s cinema has never been one focused solely on dictating the challenges with traditions, and his work has been more intent on presenting a bold but honest depiction of his native country and its people, which entails some challenging material that borders on being uncomfortable, especially for outside viewers, who are perhaps not entirely aware of the specific nuances of the traditions that the director is exploring here. Lingui, The Sacred Bonds is a film that calls into question the theme of unwanted pregnancy, or rather how this country views the circumstances immediately following it. However, rather than becoming too invested in the gritty details of the process, and how the legality of the situation is a problem for many unwed mothers who want to terminate their pregnancy, the film becomes a haunting character study about how it is often the working-class and those in more rural communities that have to bear the brunt of these laws, which were supposedly designed to uphold traditions and values, but ultimately result in more lives being lost – as we’ve seen in countless instances, illegality does not prevent resourceful individuals from finding alternative resolutions to their predicament, which is what Haroun is most invested in exploring throughout this film, functioning as the quality that gives Lingui, The Sacred Bonds such a distinct and poignant tone.

At the heart of Lingui, The Sacred Bonds are two incredible performances by Rihane Khalil Alio and Achouackh Abakar Souleymane, who take on the roles of Amina and her mother Maria respectively. The two actresses are given the unenviable task of bringing to life a pair of characters who are borne from the director’s intention to tell a story of the conflict between tradition and modernity, using them as representatives of two very different demographics, namely the younger generation that sees beyond the sacrosanct values that govern their community, and the older generation that is hopelessly bound by them, fully-committed to honouring the tenets of their beliefs, regardless of how it may impact them in reality. The film may appear like a social issues drama, but it is mainly a character study of two women who are opposed on a very deep level based on their differing interpretations of the beliefs that were present in their upbringing, but united based on a deeper and more profoundly important bond, that that occurs between a parent and their child. When confronted with doing what is right in the eyes of the law, and that which will help their offspring from falling victim to a hostile world, it would appear that the answer is clear for any parent, which is one of the fundamental conversations that we can find flowing through this film, occupying every recess of these spellbinding performances that are truly unforgettable. Haroun’s work is always defined by his careful and meticulous attention to detail, and the characterization of the protagonists in this film (as well as the occasional antagonistic individual that makes their way into their lives at different points, whether it be an unsympathetic doctor, or someone who merely exists to remind them of their moral duty to uphold their traditions) makes the film a nuanced, complex story of humanity, which is one of the director’s most significant traits as an artist.

Realism is a concept that has taken on many forms as time has gone on, and more artists have actively been working to create artworks that represent the earnest truth, or at least in the way they perceive it. Going back centuries, we’ve seen the development of the movement, which is usually spurred during or as a result of tumultuous periods, whether relating to political upheaval, social change or economic strife. Often, we encounter works that are situated in communities that are not directly impacted by these events, but rather the victims of decades-long normalization of various difficult circumstances. This is where Lingui, The Sacred Bonds resides, specifically when we are focusing on the further sub-genre of postcolonial realism. This is a film that sits firmly in the shadow of imperialism, and Haroun is careful to draw correlations between Chad’s colonial past and its present form, which is vibrant and energetic (the film may be extremely serious, but it is not a totally dour affair – it is often brimming with life and vivid colour that pays tribute to the beautiful culture), but also weighed down by a long history of authoritarian control, much of which is still present in the nation to this day. In the hands of another filmmaker, the small details, such as the language these characters speak or the religious practices that they follow, would seem like an objective portrayal of the national culture – but under Haroun’s guidance, it becomes a story of breaking through the restrictive conditions that prevent many people from breaking through and having lives that can be considered free and fair, and the conversations incited by the director in this regard are incredibly poignant, especially in the moments where we start to see him erase the facade, exposing the inherent trauma that lingers beneath the surface of every country that was a victim to colonialism in some way, told from a perspective that is often brutally raw and unforgiving, which contributes to the realist overtones of the film.

Lingui, The Sacred Bonds is a powerful, harrowing story of two women that defy the draconian laws of both their country and faith in order to survive, which they soon discover is a lot more difficult than they initially imagined. It’s often a very challenging film to watch, especially since the subject matter is uncomfortable – but like any great work of fiction, the film carries an important message, and through Haroun’s dedicated cinematic prose, which is impactful but not exploitative, the film manages to effectively explore a range of issues that are still present in many parts of the world. Ultimately, Haroun is not interested in getting into every detail of the socio-cultural structure of Chadian politics and traditions, but rather aims to tell a compelling story about the conflict between tradition and modernity, which can have a profound impact on how many individuals, in particular women, engage with their identity. The film critically discusses important issues without preaching, and its manner of portraying the issues surrounding women within this culture is extremely powerful, leading to a harrowing depiction of femininity within a culture that is still patriarchal and heteronormative – and while it may not shatter boundaries, Lingui, The Sacred Bonds is a solid piece of contemporary African realism that stirs through and provokes conversation, which is precisely how some of the most effective movements are started – and the fact that it takes the form of a very small, intimate character-driven drama only highlights the severity of the issues it is discussing, as the viewer is simply confronted with the objective facts, which the director forms into a haunting demonstration of the sometimes darker side of humanity.