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Petit à petit (Little by Little) (1969)

Petit à petit (1969)
February 22, 2013 - 7:30 pm
Billy Wilder Theater

"A truly mesmerizing, frequently hilarious, and provocative masterpiece." —Eric Kohn, Cineaste

Directed by Jean Rouch

In this whimsical comedy, Rouch collaborators Damouré Zika and Lam Ibrahim Dia extend characters they had earlier developed in the film Jaguar. Having established a small but successful import-export business in Niger, they see the next step clearly: to take on the trappings of capitalistic status, including that most prized symbol, a tall building. A research trip to Paris reveals their folly, as First World practices and values only provoke new troubles. 

Cast: Damouré Zika, Lam Ibrahim Dia, Illo Goudal.

Digital video from 16mm, color, 92 min.

Preceded by

Cocorico Monsieur Poulet (1974)

Directed by Dalarou (Damouré Zika, Lam Dia, Jean Rouch) 

Another collaboration with Damouré Zika and Lam Ibrahim Dia, this picaresque story follows three poultry sellers on a trip across the bush, attempting to deliver a load of chickens to a market in Niamey. Based on Dia’s own experience as a poultry seller, and meant to depict the lives of marginal Africans, the film’s whimsical, absurdist plot is driven by uniquely African references, including the influence of magic.

Cast: D. Zika, L. Dia, Tallou Mouzourane.

35mm, color, 90 min. 

Part of: 
Farther Than Far: The Cinema of Jean Rouch