The movie opens with a young gazelle running in the sand dunes of Timbuktu. Chasing the beautiful docile animal in a pickup truck are members of the Jihadists shooting their rifles in its direction. “Do not shoot the animal, we just want to tire it out” says their leader. It’s an act of domination repeated throughout the film, but instead of animals with humans living in fear. The film Timbuktu has been selected as one of the five foreign films in line for an Oscar.

A small family Kidane (Ibrahim Ahmed aka Pino), his wife Satima (Toulou Kiki), their daughter Toya (Layla Walet Mohamed) and charge Issan (Mehdi AG Mohamed) are living off the desert by herding cattle. They’re use to the sand dunes of Mali Africa and live a simple life in a tent just outside the city of Timbuktu. Recently however, the small city has been taken over by Jihadists who have made new laws that the people must obey in the treat of death.

Kidane (Ibrahim Ahmed aka Pino) his wife Satima (Toulou Kiki) their daughter Toya (Layla Walet Mohamed)

Two men on a motorcycle, one with a bull horn, yell out to the people “smoking is forbidden”, “music is forbidden”, and “women must wear socks and gloves”. It’s the law that anyone caught exposing themselves, sit front of their house, or the most impure sin of committing adultery, will be put to death by stoning. The leader of the new government also acts as the judge. While most of the villages go on about their business defying the Jihadist laws, especially concerning music, members of the enforcement squads roam the streets making arrests.

On one awful day Kidane receives news that one of his cows has been killed by Amadou (Omar Haidara) a fisherman. In a fit of anger and violence things change quickly with one of the men having to face judgment in front of the new hostile government. Director Abderrahmane Sissako keeps his film moving along after developing the main characters and providing a gripping and emotional story. He shows the power of guns over people and the changes that are expected by the rule of those who would overpower the meek.

A woman is stuned by the death of her husband in Timbuktu

Much like the film The Stoning of Soraya M, the 2008 movie that shows how laws in Iran are mixed with religious beliefs, the Mali’s have to deal with the same mindset. Unlike American courtrooms where it can take days and months to decide guilt, the dealing with crimes are swift in Timbuktu. The deaths are violent and barbaric in both films with detestable reflections on the laws, judges and judgments by the Jihadists.

Timbuktu has been rated PG-13 by the MPAA for some violence and thematic elements. The violence is very ugly and severe showing a stoning to death and a whipping. Because of the graphic depiction of the violence I do not recommend this film for immature children and teens.

FINAL ANALYSIS: A close-up look at tragedy (B)

Additional Film Information:
Cast: Ibrahim Ahmed aka Pino, Toulou Kiki, Abel Jafri, Fatoumata Diawara, Hichem Yacoubi, Kettly Noel, Mehdi AG Mohamed, Layla Walet Mohamed, Adel Mahmoud Cherif, Salem Dendou
Directed by: Abderrahmane Sissako
Genre: Drama, Foreign
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some violence and thematic elements
Running Time: 1 hr. 37 min
Release Date: February 6, 2015
Distributed by: Cohen Media Group