Really the only Diaspora film screening in competition at the Cannes Film Festival this year, here’s your first look at footage from Chadian filmmaker Mahamat-Saleh Haroun’s follow-up to his critically-acclaimed drama Un Homme Qui Crie (aka A Screaming Man), titled Grisgris. 

The film centers on Grisgris, a 25 year old young man with dreams of becoming a dancer despite the fact that he’s paralyzed from the waist down. His dreams are shattered when his uncle falls seriously ill. To save him, he decides to go work for petrol traffickers.

Not quite the same father/son relationship theme that seems to run through Haroun’s work (see Abouna-2002, Daratt-2006, A Screaming Man-2010), but still very much in that similar relational vein. 

This may in no way be of any consequence to the narrative, but I learned that the term “Gris-gris” refers to an amulet that is believed to protect the wearer from evil or brings luck. 

The film stars Soulémane Démé, Mariam Monory, Cyril Guei, Anaïs Monory and Marius Yelolo (who’s worked with Haroun on at least 2 other past films).

Grisgris is produced by Florence Stern for Pili Films, with Chad’s Goï Goï Productions and Frances 3 Cinéma.

It make its world premiere at Cannes, in competition, and already has a France theatrical release date set for August 28, 2013.

Watch a first clip from the film below (NOTE: if it doesn’t play, click HERE instead):