cost: US$5

Synopsis

Gently urging equality between the sexes, this film from Mali explores its theme through the intriguing story of a dramatic reversal of gender roles in a Dogon village,where the women use a spirit mask to assume control. Forced by her husband to venture out at twilight to gather firewood, Yayene stumbles onto a gathering of Andumbulus (evil spirits).

In fear, she hurls a stone at the nearest masked figure, which falls. Seizing the mask, Yayene rushes back to her village, where she and the other women discover to their amazement that the mask when worn gives them total control over the men in the village. With the men cooking and looking after children, the women learn just how life is for the other sex.

But for how long can this deceitful trickery continue undiscovered? When the owner of the mask, a beautiful Andumbulus, arrives in the village to reclaim it, the fragile balance between the women’s idyll and the men’s servitude is threatened. Blending myth and compelling narrative, 'Skirt Power' (Taafe Fanga)is an utterly fascinating glimpse of one of the world’s great cultures, the Dogon of Mali.

Awards

1997: Namur International Festival of French-Speaking Film - Jury Special Prize
1997: Meilleur Film Francophone - Nominated for Golden Bayards in Best Film
1997: FESPACO - Jury Special Prize
1997: Tokyo International Film Festival - Best Artistic Contribution Award

Please note that the movie Streaming option is available to Mac and Windows users. The Download option is only available to Windows users who have Windows Media Player v. 10 or higher installed.