Le Temps de la kermesse est terminé (2010)
Directed by Frédéric Chignac

Film Review

With his feature debut, director Frédéric Chignac offers a bitterly ironic reflection on the present state of play between the developed West and the Dark Continent.  Bizarrely styled as a mix of faux documentary and dead pan black comedy, Le Temps de la kermesse est terminé tramples political correctness into the dust within it first ten minutes and what ensues is a brutally honest, albeit somewhat tongue in cheek, portrayal of Africa's far from dignified relationship with the West.  The film never lets us forget that one form of colonialism has replaced another, with Africa still controlled and exploited by the rich northern countries for her resources.  Prior to this, Chignac had spent many years working as a journalist for French television, during which time he made several documentaries about Africa, so he knows the terrain well.

Improbably cast as the ambiguous lead character Alex is Stéphane Guillon, a comedian turned actor who is best known in France for his frequent appearances on Canal+ in such shows as Salut les Terriens.  In what will probably count as the most unsympathetic role of his career, Guillon gives a remarkably true-to-life portrayal of a pathologically committed racist whose conscience ends up being uncomfortably stirred by his enforced stopover in a small African village.  Right from the outset, Guillon's character comes across as the very personification of the West's exploitative attitude to Africa.  He thinks he can get anything he wants by waving banknotes and barking out orders, and it takes him a while to realise that his position of strength derives not from his superiority but from the willingness of the African people he encounters to prostitute themselves to him for their own advantage.

And prostitution is regretfully the mot juste, the most succinct way of characterising Africa's relationship with the rich countries of the north.  One character, a beautiful local woman name Martina, is elected to migrate to France so that she can earn money (presumably as a call girl) to support the villagers.  Martina's fate typifies present-day Africa's relationship with the West, a willingness to submit to a sordid arrangement in return for a bare subsistence allowance that cannot be obtained by any other means.  The film's controversial subtext is that Africa is entirely complicit in this relationship, too willing to play the prostitute for meagre rewards instead of standing up to the West and demanding something better.

Le Temps de la kermesse est terminé is not an easy film to watch and many will doubtless be put off and offended by its in-your-face frankness.  Whilst most of what it shows is shocking and, at times, pretty sickening, it makes its point effectively and concludes with a glimmer of optimism, with the diehard racist and serial black-exploiter Alex beginning to experience something of a moral awakening.  Perhaps the West has too many vested interests in its present morally dubious arrangements with Africa to undergo a similar Damascene conversion, but we can but hope.  Africa deserves better, and, quite frankly, so does the West.

Film Synopsis

Alex had only intended to spend a few minutes in Kupala, just enough time to fill up his petrol tank.  But when his car breaks down he ends up having to stay there for longer than he had planned.  In this remote African village, Alex soon loses his bearings and unwittingly becomes a matter of great concern to the villagers...