Timbuktu

Name: Timbuktu
Genre: Drama
Released: January 28, 2015
Duration: 97 min
Rating: 92
Cast: Abel Jafri, Ibrahim Ahmed, Layla Walet Mohamed, Mehdi A.G. Mohamed, Toulou Kiki

2015

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 31 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 85 Ratings

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7.3

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7.3	Your Score
7.3	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 85 Ratings

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Timbuktu (US Trailer 1)

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Movie Details & Credits

Cohen Media Group | Release Date: January 28, 2015 | Not Rated

Starring: Abel Jafri, Ibrahim Ahmed, Layla Walet Mohamed, Mehdi A.G. Mohamed, Toulou Kiki

Summary: Not far from Timbuktu, now ruled by the religious fundamentalists, Kidane lives peacefully in the dunes with his wife Satima, his daughter Toya, and Issan, their twelve-year-old shepherd. In town, the people suffer, powerless, from the regime of terror imposed by the Jihadists determined to control their faith. Music, laughter, cigarettes,Not far from Timbuktu, now ruled by the religious fundamentalists, Kidane lives peacefully in the dunes with his wife Satima, his daughter Toya, and Issan, their twelve-year-old shepherd. In town, the people suffer, powerless, from the regime of terror imposed by the Jihadists determined to control their faith. Music, laughter, cigarettes, even soccer have been banned. The women have become shadows but resist with dignity. Every day, the new improvised courts issue tragic and absurd sentences. Kidane and his family are being spared the chaos that prevails in Timbuktu. But their destiny changes when Kidane accidentally kills Amadou, the fisherman who slaughtered his beloved cow. He now has to face the new laws of the foreign occupants.… Expand

Director: Abderrahmane Sissako

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 97 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Andrew O'Hehir

Jan 29, 2015

An extraordinary accomplishment, a heartbreaking, visually spectacular and largely accessible work from a cinematic master who is more than ready for international attention. Read full review

100

Liam Lacey

Feb 12, 2015

Sissako’s point, while never heavy-handed, is hard to miss: Traditional Muslims are among the world’s biggest victims of Islamic militarism. Read full review

100

Chris Nashawaty

Jan 9, 2016

Visually dazzling and morally devastating. Read full review

Peter Rainer

Feb 6, 2015

Sissako, a Muslim, frames his story as a cry against religious intolerance. One of the characters, speaking of jihadism, says, “Where is piety? Where is God in all this?” It is the central question of this movie – and of much more now than this movie. Read full review

Marjorie Baumgarten

Mar 4, 2015

The film is a magnificent document of secular humanism. Read full review

The Playlist Jessica Kiang

May 25, 2014

For all its value in bearing witness to the kind of atrocious acts that get but little attention on the world stage, this is not mere testimony, this is cleverly crafted and remarkably affecting storytelling. Read full review

Anthony Lane

Jan 26, 2015

Timbuktu is hard to grasp, as befits the sand-blown setting and the mythical status of the name. The more you try to define the movie, the faster it sifts away. Read full review

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User Reviews

EpicLadySponge

May 4, 2016

Timbuktu, and it was too early to judge, was almost the best film of 2015. Guess what movies beat this one to it. On the other hand, you'll find a lot to enjoy in Timbuktu.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

JLuis_001

Sep 6, 2017

Timbuktu is a film that left me a huge and pleasant impression, I received a lot more than I expected, is a gigantic achievement for a film of its kind, which deserves a recognition at all levels.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Brent_Marchant

Feb 15, 2015

A powerful, insightful look at what happens when dogmatic fundamentalism is allowed to hold sway over a devout, peace-loving people looking to live their lives in everyday ways. This very deserving Oscar nominee for best foreign language film exposes a cynical, hypocritical, bullying powerA powerful, insightful look at what happens when dogmatic fundamentalism is allowed to hold sway over a devout, peace-loving people looking to live their lives in everyday ways. This very deserving Oscar nominee for best foreign language film exposes a cynical, hypocritical, bullying power structure for what it really is -- and why it desperately needs to be removed from control. This isn't the easiest picture to watch at times, but it makes its statement in an undeniably clear way, one that, one would hope, inspires reformers to step to the forefront to bring about much-needed change.… Expand

4 of 4 users found this helpful40

FilmPhonic

May 29, 2015

Set in the outskirts of Timbuktu but filmed in the stunningly captured deserts of Mauritania, Sissako delivers a tragically contemporary tale that will no doubt be timely for decades to come, a tale about daily struggles in one of the poorer parts of the world that takes on a new extremeSet in the outskirts of Timbuktu but filmed in the stunningly captured deserts of Mauritania, Sissako delivers a tragically contemporary tale that will no doubt be timely for decades to come, a tale about daily struggles in one of the poorer parts of the world that takes on a new extreme religious dimension, but unlike anything we’ve seen it features a clash of “East Vs. East” and more specifically the traditional Muslim faith confronted by the new more radicalized and controlling Islam using their interpretation of “Jihad” as a sword.

The heart of the film is the main family dynamic torn apart by oppressive fanatics, as are all the other observant but moderate Muslim families we see, but the soul of ‘Timbuktu’ is best represented by the dialogue involving the local Imam questioning one of the foreign invading “Jihadist’s” piety and if he truly thinks God & their faith are being served by punishing devout Muslims whose only crimes are playing music and refusing to make women wear gloves and socks.

The pace of the film may not be to everyone’s liking, it’s slow and deliberate, and if you expect to see a Westernized graphic representation of “Terrorism” then expect to be disappointed, ‘Timbuktu’ dares to represent “Jihadists” as more than fanatical terrorist instead depicting them as human, flawed and even naive.

The Bottom Line…
Bold, timely, narrowly focused but with potentially global scope, ‘Timbuktu’ is a little gem of a foreign film that you’ll rather disturbingly connect to wherever you’re from and won’t regret catching if you give it a chance.… Expand

5 of 5 users found this helpful50

TVJerry

Mar 3, 2015

When religious fundamentalists occupy a village in West Africa, they impose their beliefs and bans on the citizens. This leads to oppression and resistance. One man lives peacefully with his wife and child in a remote tent until an accident brings the occupants' laws to their reality. NotWhen religious fundamentalists occupy a village in West Africa, they impose their beliefs and bans on the citizens. This leads to oppression and resistance. One man lives peacefully with his wife and child in a remote tent until an accident brings the occupants' laws to their reality. Not only does this film reveal the irrational tyranny and tragedy brought by the Jihadists, it provides glimpses into the small town life in this part of the world. The story isn't structured in a traditional sense, but is rich with cultural observations. The pace is leisurely, the emotion is underplayed and the narrative takes a back seat to the way of life, but it's still a interesting examination. In subtitles.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

DawdlingPoet

Nov 27, 2021

This is a slow moving film, one that gives you a good insight into the lives of regular people in the area. Its a relatively thoughtful film although the lack of plot direction felt a bit frustrating. Its by no means full of strong, bloody violence, which may come as a relief to some. IThis is a slow moving film, one that gives you a good insight into the lives of regular people in the area. Its a relatively thoughtful film although the lack of plot direction felt a bit frustrating. Its by no means full of strong, bloody violence, which may come as a relief to some. I thought it seemed like a 'fly in the wall documentary' style of film. In terms of portraying a specific culture, it was interesting. While it isn't especially graphic in terms of violence, there are certainly bleak moments too.

I'd say this is an interesting, thoughtful docu-drama overall.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

unbiased-critic

Jun 8, 2018

To me the visual of the film is extremely insipid, savorless, amazingly dull and plainly disappointing! And in that area, someone will have to explain to me how cinematographer Sofian El Fani, who once again reveals himself as an amateur, actually did get a credit for this movie. Very rarelyTo me the visual of the film is extremely insipid, savorless, amazingly dull and plainly disappointing! And in that area, someone will have to explain to me how cinematographer Sofian El Fani, who once again reveals himself as an amateur, actually did get a credit for this movie. Very rarely do we see technical challenges. The movie's visualization is so technically repetitive and mind-numbing that it makes the whole movie extremely boring (how many viewers did say they were checking their watch!). Timbuktu's stunning sandy deserts, lakes and caved houses, which should have been splendidly rendered, are regrettably reduced to being consistently filmed with the same elementary shots over and over. It could have been merely OK for a documentary (which the movie was supposed to be BTW). What makes the filming approach so tedious is that Sofian El Fani fails to convey emotions through camera angles (kind of reminded me of La vie d'Adèle where El Fani makes such an excessive use of close-ups that it becomes unbearably repetitive to the viewer).

So unless there was a political move to credit Tunisian film crew members, such as El Fani, (Original Score award to Amine Bouhafa was well deserved though), there is no technical basis whatsoever for him receiving this award for best cinematography. Globally, this film probably moved Western World viewers -- that's why it actually got credited--, but it no manner does it contribute to cinema or art.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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