Untouched by the West

Black and white, 35 mm
France, 2002, 105 min
Section: Horizons
Oficiální stránky: www.filmsdulosange.fr

Synopsis

Freely inspired by the novel by Diégo Brosset Sahara: Untouched by the West, the film tells the life story of one of the last free men living in the most famous desert in the world at the turn of the 20th century. An abandoned boy adopted by unknown hunters soon earned respect as a guide who gradually tried to evade imminent colonisation. “I discovered Brosset’s book about twelve years ago; at that time soldiers from the French Camel division described it as their Bible. I was lured by the title of the book which seemed very modern to me”, says Depardon. This captivating black-and-white tribute to the Sahara and its inhabitants was made using an old type of camera, the only one to be able to stand up to the sandstorms. The images, immobile and resembling photographs themselves, present the life and communication of people living roughly ninety years ago. The strength of the film lies in its anthropological depiction of the habits and customs of the nomadic tribes.

About the director

Raymond Depardon (1942, Villefranche-sur-Saone) hails from a Burgundian farming family. He moved to Paris in 1958 to become a photographer. His first commission was to document the premiere of Godard’s film Breathless. In 1966 he cofounded the Gamma agency with three other reporters, after which he immediately established a film department which was to compile television reports. Depardon’s films have been screened at many international film festivals, from Cannes to Hong Kong. He was nominated for an Oscar in 1981, and he received Césars for Best Documentary in 1981 and 1995. In 1995 he was awarded the Joris Ivens prize at the IDFA festival in Amsterdam. Select filmography: Numéros Zéro (1977), Reporters (1981), Faits divers (1983), Urgences (1987), Délits flagrants (1994), Profils paysans: L’approche (2000), Untouched by the West (Un homme sans occident, 2002).