La genèse

"La Genese" is not the best film of 1999, but it certainly is the most interesting.

Based rather loosely on the biblical story of Jacob, director Cheick Oumar Sissoko and screenwriter Jean-Louis Sagot-Duraroux have stripped away the text's complexities to give us a study of tribal culture. While not a theological study, it certainly is a fascinating look at a society of which most of us in the western world are unaware.

This movie puts the story of "The Rape of Dinah" into the tribal context from which it comes. It also shows how a tribal legal system works & holds the Bible accountable to a higher moral code than Biblical scholars have done.

"La Genese" considers the human toll of Leah's lack of love in her family, of Jacob's excessive grieving & of the jealousy & lack of supervision of the unloved sons. It sides with Esau in his quest for justice from his brother. It pities Dinah who has lost her husband & has been driven mad by her brother's revenge on her "rape", which was in fact her assertion of her right to act on her own sexual desire.

This is a movie of extraordinary power & the scenery is gorgeous (as are the costumes).

A biblical tale not in the style of a massive Hollywood epic but on a much smaller scale as Jacob, his wives, children, and other assorted hangers-on may actually have lived in the desert a few thousand years ago. All the familiar details of the Genesis story are there, although the 'council' scene, where some of the background is filled in, is a bit confusing. The actors and setting are African (though it is hard to tell exactly what race Esau might belong to -- perhaps to emphasize that he has literally given up his birthright and heritage), but who's to say that Soutiguy Kouyate (Jacob) looks any less like an ancient Hebrew than does Charlton Heston? A refreshingly straight-up adaptation of a biblical story and a fine film.

The concept of Genesis sounds excellent--a retelling of Jacob's story from the Hebrew scriptures set in Africa, which might very well be where the story actually took place. In fact, the film is visually overwhelming--vast, barren, rocky desert violently interrupted by massive rock formations rising hundreds of feet above the plains. The movie's vision is furthered by the beautiful cast and colorful, traditional African costumes.

The story, however, is difficult to follow or to care about, even for a man raised on Sunday School bible stories. I expected the movie to add life to a biblical text that sometimes seems distant and old, but I was disappointed. The actors seemed unable to fill the huge desert spaces, and the narrative was fragmented by flashbacks that were often long and difficult to connect to the main narrative.

Although I didn't end up liking the movie, it is still worth seeing. There are moments of splendor, humor, and humanity, and it is sometimes fascinating to experience the biblical stories sifted through the distinctive filter of African folklore. As with any movie, you'll have to be the final judge.