Chad’s submission to the 2022 Academy Awards
Tue, Feb 22 at 7:00pm: Introduction from Julie Edwards, patient advocacy programs manager and community engagement coordinator, Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and North Mississippi | BUY TICKETS
Gorgeously shot and superbly acted, Chadian master Mahamat-Saleh Haroun’s latest is a generous exploration of the intricate support networks women weave to survive the harsh laws of men. On the outskirts of Chad’s capital city N’djamena, resolute single mother Amina (Achouackh Abakar Souleyman) works tirelessly to provide for herself and her 15-year-old daughter, Maria (Rihane Khalil Alio). Their already precarious existence is rocked when Amina learns Maria is pregnant and does not want to carry to term. Abandoned by her own family as an expectant teenager, Amina is determined to secure another fate for her child. Together, the two begin to seek out an abortion, condemned by both religion and law. Fighting to procure this simple yet inaccessible procedure, they must navigate a patriarchal network of doctors, relatives and neighbors. Through this journey, mother and daughter forge a connection stronger than any they’ve ever known.
LINGUI, THE SACRED BONDS explores topics of abortion access and social opposition with uncompromising empathy. In doing so, the film presents a unique, urgent and refreshing perspective on this universal issue.
“...A rich pro-choice meditation told in intimate detail.” —Robert Daniels, The Playlist “Haroun both shines a light on the strict patriarchal laws of the country, but also the powerful connections women form to help each other survive within them.” —Marya E. Gates, rogerebert.com “...It's a bracing work that passes quickly in 87 minutes. But the world it shows us, etched in fully felt performances and beautifully hued compositions, feels vividly, sometimes overwhelmingly present.” —Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times
