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Drums from the Past (1971)
Directed by Jean Rouch
Documentary · 9m
Filmed in May 1971 in Niger, this short documentary records a possession ritual performed by the Simiri people in response to a locust invasion. The ceremony centers on the beating of the archaic drums Tourou and Bitti, used to invoke spirit forces through music, dance, and trance. Shot in a single continuous take, the film documents a concentrated moment of collective ritual practice, reflecting Jean Rouch’s first-person ethnographic approach and direct participation in the event.
Crew
- Director
- Jean Rouch
- Writer
- Jean Rouch
Details
- Original title
- Tourou et Bitti: Les tambours d'avant
- Release date
- 1971-01-01
- Runtime
- 9m
- Genres
- Documentary
- Original language
- FR
- Spoken languages
- French
- Countries
- France
- Production
- Comité du film Éthnographique, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, CNRS Images