Taskovski Films Acquires Berlinale Forum Title ‘Night Nursery’ – EFM (EXCLUSIVE)

London-based outfit Taskovski Films has acquired world sales rights to Moumouni Sanou’s first feature “Night Nursery,” which bows in the Forum section of the Berlinale this week.

The documentary is set in the district town of Bobo-Dioulasso, near Burkina Faso’s capital Ouagadougou, where every night sex workers entrust their children to Mrs. Coda, an elderly woman. The young women then stroll through the “Black,” a lively alley in the city center, until daybreak, when they come to pick up their babies.

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Sanou is considered part of the new generation of Burkinabe documentary filmmakers. Before shooting this feature, he has worked as a director of photography on several productions as well as edited and directed several shorts.

The director told Variety: “What I observed in the relationship between Adam’s, Odile and Fatim is a solidarity that is necessary among single women. And other women such as Mrs. Coda, who are also aware that it is impossible to fight alone, offer their services in a spirit of mutual aid, despite the reproving look they receive from their family or neighbors. Thus, by accompanying Odile and Fatim in this night nursery, following them into the ‘Black’ and in their daily life with Adam’s, I will take a step beyond prejudices. I will show the courage that these fighting women show day after day, despite being at the margins of their families and society.”

Irena Taskovski from Taskovski Films commented: “Taskovski Films eagerly supports films made in and about the Southern countries of the globe. Unfortunately, we don’t get to see these productions as often in the international circuit and we are aware of their need to find new windows. In this sense, ‘Night Nursery’ is an African co-production that stands out, as we see an African country as the lead producer of the film.”

“Night Nursery” was produced by Berni Goldblat for Les Films du Djabadjah (Burkina Faso), Faissol Gnonlonfin for VraiVrai Films (France) and Meike Martens for Blinker Filmproduktion (Germany).

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