Bakoroman

A glimpse into five teenagers coming of age on the streets of Burkina Faso (a small West African country). The struggling economy and lack of opportunity present leads to children talking to the streets in search for a better life and to try and help provide for their families; Bakoroman is the regional term for this group. We follow the teenagers on a journey to Ouagadougou (the country’s economic capital) in search of prosperity and a better life. This journey gives us a window into their lives, examining the conditions and events that have led them to this lifestyle and witnessing the number of ways they distract themselves to escape from reality; some of the scenes involving them abusing glue are going to stick with me for a long time. 

Ganou’s direction and minimalist style help give impact as we’re fully absorbed into the documentary, relying on the group’s experiences and personalities instead of flashy cinematography. This naturalness makes the film feel human and really highlights the stories we’re being told. The casual presentation and depiction of emotional trauma and drug abuse makes the issues facing the Bakoroman all the more real and harrowing and really helps build empathy towards their situation. The death of one of the kids post-filming and the dedication of the film to them drives this message even further and reinforces Bakoroman as an important look into poverty and economic deprivation in West Africa.

Written by Isaac Holmes