How Long Is “Kabala”?

Directed by African filmmaker Assane Kouyate, Kabala mixes technology with ancient traditions. When an elderly man reveals that his son Hammala (Modibo Traore) is the illegitimate son of a purported witch, the ugly side of social customs rears its head. Shunned by the community, an ashamed Hammala leaves the village, only to return four years later, despite his outcast status. The conflict between ancient customs and progress comes to a head when when Hammala's attempts to clean up the well of holy water, which is contaminated with cholera, are met with staunch opposition from the villages' official shaman (Sory Ibrahima Koita). Simultaneously, the woman he loves (Djeneba Kone) is being married off to a corrupt local named Seriba (Fily Traore). Magic does manage to play a significant role, however, when forces beyond logical explanation push the villagers into Hammala's home.