Oka!

A Dada Films (in U.S.) release given Needed Viewing of the Roland Films-James Bruce production. Created by James Bruce, Lavinia Currier. Executive producer, Andrew Fierberg. Co-producer, Norbert Bogbeyate. Co-executive producer, Isaach p Bankole. Directed by Lavinia Currier. Script, Currier, Suzanne Stroh, Louis Sarno, according to Sarno's memoir, "Last Ideas Before Disappearing In the Face of the world.InchWith: Kris Marshall, Isaach p Bankole, Mapumba, Will Yun Lee, Mbombi, Essanje, Peter Riegert. (Sango, Akka, French, British dialogue)If movies were susceptible to sanity tests, "Oka!" will be a crazy old guy having a three-day beard along with a sock filled with kruggerrands under his bed mattress. Suggestive of Monty Python, evocative of Scots novelist William Boyd ("A Great Guy in Africa") and usually disdainful of contemporary stereotypes and patriarchal whitened-guy-on-the dark-region tales, Lavinia Currier's film has got the type of freewheeling sensibility and contempt for conformity that may provide theatrical traction -- even when, in regards to nearly anything within the niche arena, the present climate appears particularly hostile. It could be also as hostile because the atmosphere Ray Whitman (Kris Marshall) finds themself in. Inspired through the real-existence Louis Sarno (adapting his memoir with Currier and Suzanne Stroh), Ray is definitely an ethnomusicologist that has been recording and protecting the background music from the Bayaka pygmies of Yandombe, within the Central African Republic, and it is coming back the place to find Nj to boost funds. When his acerbic physician (Peter Riegert) informs him he's dying, he decides to not wait for liver transplant and rather presses a wealthy patron to invest in another visit to Africa, so he is able to finish his focus on the Bayaka. Ray finds a " new world " changing in Yandombe. He's still the highest, whitest guy around, however the Bayaka happen to be obtaining a difficult time in the Bantu, whose mayor, Bassoun (Isaach p Bankole), has moved the pygmies right into a more compact village and forbidden them from entering their sacred forest. Bassoun is wishing to market the timber privileges to some predatory Chinese businessman, Mr. Yi (Will Yun Lee). The encroachment from the modern around the ancient is really a major theme, both narratively and aesthetically, in "Oka!" (the Bayaka word for "listen"), and upkeep is Currier's apparent message here. But Ray is a lesser messiah than the usual stand-set for the crowd he towers comically within the pygmies, who all make affectionate fun of him. One of the most mischievous local people is Sataka (Mapumba), the tribe's great hunter, who, together with his wife, Ekadi (Essanje), went into the jungle to flee the capricious rule of law. What's refreshing about "Oka!" is its aversion to the type of cliches the Bayaka people exhibit just as much self-interest as anybody, they will use Ray for those he's worth, and they've their decidedly craven side. Sataka's daughter, Makombe (Mbombi), on whom Ray evolves a crush, plays him just like a seafood. Still, the Bayaka would be the sufferers here: Bassoun really wants to frame Sataka to have an elephant killing and accuse the pygmies of poaching, that will enable him to maneuver the Bayaka permanently out, and Mr. Yi in. While Ray is really a hero, he's only one of many, just like the film is just partially a farcical dramedy about endangered people. It is also a character film, the wildlife from the Central African Republic playing a prominent role within the visual storytelling, and Currier eschews the lions and tigers and bears for a lot more hideous and fascinating types of African wildlife. But almost all the species observed in "Oka!" receive a brand new groing through, including homo sapiens. Production values are usually good, d.p. Conrad W. Hall's work exceptional in taking the smoothness of Africa.Camera (color), Conrad W. Hall editors, Kristina Boden, Nic Gaster music, Chris Berry, the music artists of Yandombe production designer, Alexandre Vivet costume designer, Delphi Squires seem (Dolby Digital), David Monacchi line producer, Jean Aubert p Tregomain casting, Lisa Hamil. Examined on DVD, NY, March. 11, 2011. (This Year Telluride Film Festival.) Running time: 106 MIN. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com