Fatou N'Diaye Movies

A beleaguered mother attempts to ensure that everything is perfect for her daughter's wedding despite the fact that their dysfunctional family is coming apart at the seams in writer/director François Dupeyron's darkly comic family drama. Christie Mousse is about to get married, and what she doesn't know is that her deadbeat dad recently gambled away the money that was intended to pay for the reception. As Christie's long-suffering mother Sonia dutifully reassures her daughter that the ceremony will go off without a hitch, the lawless exploits of her angry adolescent son Victor gradually threaten to cast a shadow over her daughter's picture perfect wedding. Recently, Sonia has been saving up money in hopes of purchasing the Laundromat where she currently works, though before the day is through she will be forced to contend with a development that threatens the livelihood of her entire family. Will Sonia manage to keep her cool as usual, or will this be the day when she finally tells everyone what's really on her mind? ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

A musician from the Democratic Republic of Congo finds his peaceful existence in Ireland suddenly shattered when he made an irresistible offer by one of the nation's most notorious criminals. When Joe Juma's application for asylum was accepted, he thought he was leaving all of his troubles back in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Content with his job as a bank security guard, Joe was comfortable just coasting through life without a care. But these are the moments that life often chooses to throw us an unexpected curve-ball, and when Joe is approached with a dangerous but potentially lucrative offer, he is forced to make a decision that will effect the rest of his life. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

A young African woman learns that finding love and happiness need not come at the sacrifice of one's identity in director Flora Gomes 2002 romantic musical My Voice. Young and beautiful, Vita (Fatou N'Diaye) decides to leave her home in West Africa to study in Paris. Before Vita leaves, her mother (Bia Gomes) nervously reminds her of the family curse stating that any female in their lineage who sings will be struck dead. Vita reassures her mother that she will do no such thing and leaves to begin her new life. Shortly after arriving in Paris, however, she meets and falls in love with a young French musician named Pierre (Jean-Christophe Dolle), who -- in a moment of romantic abandon -- convinces Vita to sing. Pierre's astonishment at Vita's obvious talent for music prompts him to convince her to record an album, which she does but almost immediately regrets upon remembering her promise to her mother about the curse. As the record achieves an unheralded success throughout France, Vita gradually becomes convinced that the curse was nonsense and decides to return to Africa to convince her mother and the rest of the villagers of her discovery. Chosen for inclusion in the 2002 Berlin Film Festival, My Voice was also the sole film from the continent of Africa in that year's festival. ~ Ryan Shriver, Rovi