Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO). Historian Frank Ukadike called it "a landmark of African cinema, the most ambitious for its inventiveness, professionalism and dedication." Writing for The Boston Phoenix, Chris Fujiwara said that the film avoids clichés, calling it a "large-scale epic drama" that is "both ironic and celebratory". Time Out called it "superbly crafted and expansive". References External links 1986 films 1986 drama films 1980s historical films Dioula-language films Mauritanian drama films Fula-language films French drama films 1980s French-language films War films based on actual events Films based on military novels Films set in the 1890s Films set in Niger Burkinabé drama films 1980s French films