A meditation on tensions between village and city, tradition and progress, told through the story of three men.

"Laada" is the customary law, the expression of the tradition that rules the daily life of an African village as well as its social, economical and political aspects. Do, Demba and Sina are three young men who question both their own future and that of their village. Sina finds an answer in the values of his ancestors and refuses to leave the village. Do and Demba choose the modem way of life and go to the city to try their luck…

starring / avec
Tidjane Héma, Amadou Koné, Lacina Sanou, Tidjane Sanou, Aminata Sara


Drissa Touré
80'
Burkina Faso


Titre français
La Tradition

Original title
Laada

Titre international
Tradition

Script / Scénario
Drissa Touré

Cinematography / Photo
Moussa Diakité

Editing / Montage
Madeleine Beausejour

Musique / Musique
Jacob Soubeiga

Cast / Interprétation
Tidjane Sanou, F. de Salle Naba, Tidjane Hema, Lacina Sanou, A.D. Sanou, Madou Kone, H. Zama, D. Sanou, Aminata Sara

Production
Production Lolo Films


TRADITION
(LAADA)
by Drissa TOURE

Burkina Faso, 1991, Fiction, 81′, Couleur, 35 mm


NOTE BY THE PROGRAMMER (IFFR 1992, Rotterdam)
'Laada' is the word for the commonly-accepted law, the expression of the traditions which determine everyday life and regulate social, economic and political intercourse in an African village. This is done by masters with knowledge: a master of the earth, a rain master, a master of rituals etc. This traditional structure is affected by modern means of communication such as radio, which introduces other knowledge and undermines the authority of the masters. The struggle between tradition and modernity is represented in this film by three young men: Do, Demba and Sina. They wonder what their future and that of their village will look like. Sina finds his answers in the values of his ancestors and refuses to leave the village. Do and Demba choose for a modern way of life and leave for the big city without realising what awaits them there.Touré allowed himself to be led by his intuition in making the film; he had no cinematographic examples in mind. He sought images with an emotional value and preferred actions to words. He wanted to make a film in which there was not too much talking, in which there is room to listen to people's silence.Drissa Touré uses cinema deliberately to tackle social problems; film is for him an ideal medium to reach the largely illiterate population of Burkina Faso.

NOTE BY THE PROGRAMMER (IFFR 2023, Rotterdam)
Laada is in many ways a typical film of its period: an allegorical story about the schism between village and city, tradition and modernity, including the question of whether the older ways of life can survive in the face of progress. It's a subject that Sub-Saharan cinema has wrestled with since its beginnings, and one that knows no easy solution, which is why it needed to be looked at again and again. Drissa Touré did so by way of a tale involving three young men, one of whom stays in their home village to live in accordance with its age-honed customs and rhythms, while the other two try their luck in the city, taking chances with an unknown world of behaviours.
Touré knew that stories like this had been told time and again, which enabled him to focus on the essentials: the three paths complement, complete and contradict one another, making it possible to develop each scene almost like a little cosmos in and of itself. Laada is above all dedicated to details and nuances, unhurried in its tone yet brisk and decisive in its drive ahead, classical in its craft and modern in its voice.
- Olaf Möller

Director: Drissa Touré
Country of production: Burkina Faso
Year: 1991
Length: 80'
Medium: 35mm
Producer: Lolo Films
Sales: Atria

Country of production: Burkina Faso
Year: 1991
Length :80'
Medium: 35mm
International title: The Tradition
Language: Bambara

Cast:
Tidjane Hema, Amadou Koné, Lacina Sanou, Tidjane Sanou, Aminata Sara

Producer: Drissa Touré

Director: Drissa Touré
Screenplay: Drissa Touré
Cinematography: Moussa Diakité
Sound / Son :  Isaa Nabi TRAORÉ
Editor: Madeleine Beauséjour
Sound Design: Julien Cloquet
Musique / Musique : Jacob SOUBEIGA, Cheick Tidiane SECK

Production Company: Lolo Films
Sales: Lolo Films (Festival Edition IFFR 2023)


Festivals :
* Selection /// FESPACO 1991
* Selection (Un certain regard) /// CANNES 1991
* Selection /// AMIENS 1991
* Selection : Information /// NANTES 1991
* Selection /// FRIBOURG 1992
* Selection /// IFFR 1992 (Rotterdam) | https://iffr.com/en/iffr/1992/films/laada
* Selection: Cinema Regained /// IFFR 2023 (Rotterdam) | https://iffr.com/en/iffr/2023/films/laada


Fontes / Our Source / Quelle / Nos Sources (MAIS INFORMAÇÕES / READ MORE / PLUS D'INFOS) :
- Africiné Magazine
- https://iffr.com/en/persons/drissa-touré
- https://iffr.com/en/iffr/1992/films/laada
- https://iffr.com/en/iffr/2023/films/laada
- www.3continents.com/en/film/la-tradition/
- www.tv5monde.com/cms/cinema/p-779-Laada.htm?ficheId=706&position=0&search=films&recherche=&categorie=0&genre=0&annee=&pays=0&action=ok&lettre=&cfid=779&page=10#
Updated by Thierno DIA, 04 Nov 2023