ABC Africa - 2001

Directed by Abbas Kiarostami

A minimalist documentary that shows the plight of orphans in AIDs ravaged Uganda. Kiarostami traveled to the war-torn country at the request of the UN's International Fund for Agricultural Development. Shot only with inexpensive handheld cameras, the viewer is not far removed from what the auteur Kiarostami saw for himself on his 10 day journey.

Color, 1 hour 24 minutes, Farsi/English

Watch Trailer (English), Watch Scene (Farsi w/English subtitles)

Star Rating

No Longer Ranked

Cast

Abbas Kiarostami As Himself
Marin Karmitz As Himself
All People Featured As Themselves

Crew

Writer Abbas Kiarostami
Director Abbas Kiarostami
Director of Photography Seifollah Samadian
Sound Recordist Mohammed Reza Delpaak
Editor Abbas Kiarostami

Pictures

This movie marks Kiarostami's first experimentation with Digital Video.

This movie marks Kiarostami's first experimentation with Digital Video.

A billboard for condoms that has been partially covered up so as not to offend.

A billboard for condoms that has been partially covered up so as not to offend.

One of the crew's drivers explains that the devout Catholics of Uganda obey the church's order not to use any form of birth control.

One of the crew's drivers explains that the devout Catholics of Uganda obey the church's order not to use any form of birth control.

The crew drives by one of the area's booming businesses.

The crew drives by one of the area's booming businesses.

In one of the more haunting images of the documentary, Kiarostami happens upon a child's body as it is being taken away by a nurse.

In one of the more haunting images of the documentary, Kiarostami happens upon a child's body as it is being taken away by a nurse.

The nurse breaks up a cardboard box to use as a stretcher for the dead body.

The nurse breaks up a cardboard box to use as a stretcher for the dead body.

In a happier moment, Kiarostami and the audience are treated to a song from a local boys' choir.

In a happier moment, Kiarostami and the audience are treated to a song from a local boys' choir.

Wedding day in a house that has been decimated by the country's civil war.

Wedding day in a house that has been decimated by the country's civil war.

A recently adopted child wanders about a restaurant at the crew's hotel.

A recently adopted child wanders about a restaurant at the crew's hotel.

The child's new parents explore her country one last time before taking her back to Denmark and her new home, they hope to be able to tell her of her birth country when she inevitably asks.

The child's new parents explore her country one last time before taking her back to Denmark and her new home, they hope to be able to tell her of her birth country when she inevitably asks.

DVD

ABC Africa DVD Case

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External Reviews

By A.O. Scott The New York Times

Halfway through "ABC Africa," Abbas Kiarostami's new documentary, the screen goes dark. It is midnight, and the power has been turned off in the Ugandan city of Masaka, leaving the director and members of his small crew, who had been filming a cloud of mosquitoes, with no illumination. And for about five long minutes, the audience is also in the dark, listening to idle conversation (in Farsi, with English subtitles) as the portable, battery-powered digital video camera keeps rolling. Continued

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