Binta and
the Great Idea may have good intentions, but there’s
little else about it on the same level as its idealism. Filmmaker
Javier Fesser creates a beautiful image of Western Africa,
and includes many interesting elements, but there’s
nothing for them to stick to, save the trappings of a mediocre
public service announcement, and thus they seem virtually
wasted.
In the film, Binta
(Zeynabou Diallo), a seven year old girl from Senegal, tells
two stories. In the first—the one containing the "great
idea"—her father (Agnile Sambou) climbs up the
hierarchy of governmental officials to spread the word on
his brilliant plan to make the world a better place. The second
story in the movie is that of Binta's cousin Soda (Aminata
Sane) whose father will not permit her to go to school. In
order to help Soda receive fair treatment, Binta and her friends
put on a play for the community to show Soda’s father
that girls should be allowed to attend school the same as
boys.
If the synopsis
weren't enough to leave with you an impression of the film’s
tone, perhaps it would help to know that the film was co-produced
by UNICEF, and doesn't hide its influence very well, if an
attempt was even made to do so. The overbearing message of
gender equality and the benefits of education weigh heavy
on the film, and the light Senegalese music, bright costumes,
and beautiful scenery seem disconnected from the rest of the
film, which is a real shame, since these are the best elements.
As if the movie
weren't already enough of a PSA for UNICEF, Binta's father
provides a very "UN" solution to the world's problems.
Recognizing that the North (developed nations) have the financial
and educational resources to help developing nations in the
South improve their status, he proposes to everyone from local
officials to Senegalese national ministers that the South
trade their knowledge of community and human connection in
trade for aid in growing their potential. It's a dream so
full of sappy idealism that even an internationally minded
person like myself finds it too absurd to take seriously.
While I recognize
the impact some of these messages might have on the population
in a developing nation like Senegal, that alone doesn’t
justify the film’s inability to captivate an audience
in another demographic. With the technical tools and expertise
at the fingertips of Fesser (which we can see in the visuals
and music) and the backing of an organization like UNICEF,
the film should be more than simply a lengthened "The
More You Know" commercial. I wanted very badly for this
film to be much more than it was, and am disappointed that
it let me down. With the increase in movies dealing with the
various situations in Africa on the rise, it’s a shame
that a film like this, which received an Oscar nomination,
couldn’t have been more effective.
