TY  - ADVS
AU  - Bassek Ba Kobhio
AU  - Didier Ouenangare
AU  - Bassek Ba Kobhio
AU  - Didier Ouenangare	
AU  - Marcel Beaulieu
AU  - Étienne Goyemide
AU  - Eriq Ebouaney
AU  - Nadège Beausson-Diagne
AU  - Sonia Zembourou
TI  - Le Silence de la forêt: The Forest
AV  - PN1997 .S554 2003
PY  - 2003///
CY  - France, Cameroon, Gabon, Central African Republic
PB  - Arte France Cinéma, Centre National du Cinéma, Les Films Terre Africaine
N1  - <based on, contains the following, public viewing rights>
N2  - From case cover:
In a fascinating twist on the old story of Westerners' encounters with "exotic" African cultures, Le Silence de la forêt focuses instead on what happens when a European-educated African interacts with the mythic rainforest people incorrectly and pejoratively known as "pygmies"(They would more accurately be called the Biaka).  It is about the difficulty for even the most well-intentioned person to know and respect the "other".

The film's protagonist Gonaba, unlike many Africans educated in Europe, decides to return to his homeland. He is full of ideas for fulfilling the promises of independence. The film fast forwards ten years to a disillusioned Gonaba, now an ineffectual education functionary hamstrung by corrupt government superiors who mimic the ways of the former colonialists and mistreat the Biaka. Seduced by his own romantic notions about them, Gonaba goes to live with the Biaka hoping that, unlike those in "modern" society, they still have their integrity intact. At the same time, Gonaba tries to inculcate them with the best of what he has imbibed from his Western education. But the Biaka are quite satisfied with their hunter-gatherer way of life and the clash in cultures leads to an inevitable conflict.

This Pan-African production features haunting musical sounds of the Biaka as well as the contemporary score of Manu Dibango. The gorgeous cinematography takes full advantage of the lush Central African rainforest
ER  -