A batalha de Tabatô

João Viana’s feature debut, a post-colonial narrative in black and white and red, takes on an African perspective. Fatu’s father returns from Portugal to his home country of Guinea-Bissau to attend her wedding. They travel together to the village of Tabatô, where she is to marry a well known musician. On the way there, it becomes clear that the old man carries relics from the Colonial War with him in his suitcase and that he is severely traumatized by his experiences as a solder. He fought on the side of Portugal and is seen as having betrayed the anti-colonial resistance. The spirits won’t leave him be – until the final battle between the demons of the past and an army of musicians with balafons. (bik)