The Film
When Séda & Tiyéda Bawiena returned to Baga, their native village in Togo, they found it on the brink of ruin, devastated by decades of sustained exodus, bleak economic prospects and an increasingly infertile land.
Yet armed with their unshakable faith in the riches and ways of their ancestral land, they founded the International Center for Agro-Pastoral Development (CIDAP) that revolutionized life in their community.
The Dancing Forest seeks out the group of women who supported Séda from its beginnings 25 years ago, and details their unlikely triumph. Disseminating new methods of sustainable agriculture anchored on the ways of their forefathers they resurrected an entire village. Harvests were diversified, yields were multiplied, women were empowered and life was forever altered.
This award-winning documentary offers a rare intimate encounter with the fascinating women and men who refused to sit idly as ignorance and hunger threatened their way of life. Instead they became a model of self-reliance and empowerment.
Bursting with West Africa’s vibrant sights and sounds, The Dancing Forest goes beyond the usual African story of desolation and poverty to unveil a world of dignity and hope — A world where forests can dance.
Lyrical, beautifully photographed film
- Vancouver Film Festival reviews