Souli

Synopsis: A post-colonial version of Othello transposed to a remote Madagascan fishing village. Abela condenses the action into five characters and little is spoken. Souli (Makena) is a poet, only writing for himself. He lives with a younger woman (Antebi) who works in the village selling crafts. Tired of the exploitation of the fishermen by a brutish French trader Yann (Recoing), Mona develops a method of making ice which she gives to the village co-operative, thus threatening Yann’s monopoly. Yann plots to stop Mona’s scheme and discredit and destroy Souli. Yann’s mistress Abi (N’Diaye) embodies the Emilia figure, Carlos (Noriega) is a Cassio figure a student writing his thesis on Souli’s stories. In this version Mona is suffocated with a pillow, while Carlos and Yann flee, leaving Souli wordlessly communicating with Abi.
Language: French (Standard)
Country: France; Great Britain; Madagascar
Medium: Film
Technical information: Colour / Sound
Year of release: 2003
Availability: No archive copy or distributor found (2006).
Notes: French, Malagasy dialogue.
Subjects: Drama
Keywords: Shakespeare, William (1564-1616); Colonialism