If given the outline of this film, it might be easy to just call it poverty porn. But there’s a genuineness to Mambar Pierrette that keeps this film from sliding into melodrama, a certain subtlety that captures the everyday life in Douala, Cameroon. Filmmaker Rosine Mbakam, who made her start through documentary films, brings her naturalistic style here, placing the titular seamstress front and center as she responds to each and every difficulty that comes her way. And as the flood comes, and so too her troubles, Pierrette Aboheu Njeuthat shines with a subtle charisma, a performance full of dignity for the titular single mother that carved out a life through her craft. Mambar Pierrette might have a familiar neo-realist story, but it’s done well due to its excellent balance.
The city of Douala is in trepidation for the start of the new school year. A long line of customers come to Mambar Pierrette, the neighbourhood dressmaker, to have their clothes ready for imminent social events and ceremonies. More than just a sewer, Pierrette becomes the confidant of her customers, of a generation. But when the rain starts pouring down and threaten to flood her workshop – one of several successive misfortunes – Pierrette will have to stay afloat.
When the city of Douala has a new event, like ceremonies and the upcoming start to the school year, customers rely on Mambar Pierrette, the neighborhood dressmaker, to have their clothes ready for the occasion. However, when rain starts to pour, it starts a series of misfortunes Pierrette would have to weather through.
The dressmaking. It’s so calming to see Mambar Pierrette make the village’s clothing, with the whirr of the sewing machine and her calming voice, but it’s also through her workshop that we get to learn more about the village, as each of the customers come to her not just as a dressmaker, but as a confidant. And the outfits she makes are great too!
It’s just such a lovely portrait, not just of the title character, but also of her community.
Cannes
1 nomination
