Coumba and her little sister Debo are the first to leave their family's remote African village, where meals are prepared over open fires and water is drawn from wells, to attend school in the bustling city. But when an accident suddenly threatens their family's survival, their father decides to sell 11-year-old Debo into an arranged marriage. Torn between loyalty to her elders and her dreams for the future, Coumba hatches a secret plan to rescue her young sister from a fate she did not choose.

Grand comme le Baobab (Tall as the Baobab Tree) TRAILER from Jeremy Teicher on Vimeo.

Filmed on location in Sinthiou Mbadane, Senegal, TALL AS THE BAOBAB TREE features a stunning cast of local villagers on screen for the first time, capturing a powerful authenticity.

Inspired by true stories. Directed by Student Academy Award nominated Jeremy Teicher. The first international feature film in the colloquial Pulaar language.

TALL AS THE BAOBAB TREE is inspired by Jeremy's ground breaking
documentary short, THIS IS US (2011), which was awarded a prestigious Lombard Public Service Fellowship, supported by Kodak, and earned Jeremy a nomination for a Student Academy Award.

Jeremy graduated cum laude from Dartmouth College where he studied Film, English, and Theater.



Original title: Grand comme le Baobab
Language: Pulaar
Subtitles: English, French
Running Time: 82 minutes
Format: HDCAM 1.77 [16x9]
Sound: Dolby Stereo
Year of Production: 2012

Shot on location in the rural village of Sinthiou Mbadane, Senegal,

Tall as the Baobab Tree is about standing up for your beliefs and doing what you feel is right, no matter what. To me, Tall as the Baobab Tree speaks to the energy and idealism of youth while portraying a very stark and realistic world where change is two steps forward and one step back, where the invincibility of youth bends beneath the harsh realities of life-but it is not stamped out."
- Jeremy Teicher, Director

Tall as the Boabab Tree uses the latest HDSLR technology. Partnering with Wide Open Camera, our gear sponsors include Canon, Zeiss, Birns & Sawyer, Kessler, Marshall, Ikan, Switronix, Zacuto, and Jag35.

CREW
Director: Jeremy Teicher
Director of Photography: Chris Collins
Writers: Jeremy Teicher & Alexi Pappas
Editing: Sofi Marshall
Composer: Jay Wadley
Kora Music: Salieu Susso

CAST
Dior Kâ
Oumoul Kâ
Cheikh Dia
Alpha Dia
Mboural Dia
Mouhamed Diallo

"An exquisitely performed and beautifully photographed drama that is a marvel to watch."
-Keith Shiri, British Film Institute

"**** A grand cinematic experience"
-The Hollywood News

"Thoughtful and serene, tinged with poetry."
-Touki Montreal

"I loved it. It really affected me. I felt like I was there."
-Evelyn Reid, About.com

"A heartfelt film that deserves to be widely seen."
-One Stop Arts

© 2012 Cybersmart Learning Institute - all rights reserved.