Soumsoum, the Night of the Stars

In the Ennedi desert of Chad, home to stunning mountains and ancient rock art, major climate events have led to devastation and irreversible change. And to make matters worse, there has been a spate of infant deaths, leading the village elders to scapegoat single woman Aya, said to be a witch. Meanwhile, young Kellou, who is in a relationship with a boy whose family will never accept her, shares with Aya her gift for prophetic visions. Going against the villagers' prohibitions, Kellou strikes up a friendship with the beleaguered Aya, and together they challenge the patriarchal oppression of the village. With a mythological quality to its storytelling, Soumsoum is a beguiling film by one of African cinema's true greats.