If this amazing documentary about one of the most despised dictators of the twentieth century were fiction, then it would be a masterly comedy.
With Napoleonic ambition, Idi Amin, president of Uganda (1971 – 1979), considered himself a revolutionary leader. His maniacal regime was, however, amateurish, disorganized and bizarre.
For General Idi Amin Dada: Autoportrait, Barbet Schroeder received the total support of Amin. Schroeder follows him in diverse situations and shows a few interviews in which Amin explains his unconventional theories in terms of politics, economics and international relations. We see a conceited, psychotic clown who wants to be Africa’s Hitler. The thought that Amin killed at least 300,000 people, gives the film a unique and chilling undertone.
With a short introduction by Sierra Leone journalist/writer Babah Tarawally on his fascination for African dictators.
Subtitles in English
In French
Babah Tarawally?
After fleeing Sierra Leone for the Netherlands 18 years ago and spending the first seven of those years filing an asylum application, Babah Tarawally began working for independent media outlets in Africa. He also worked several years for Free Voice, a Dutch NGO that supports press freedom around the world. Alongside this work, he contributes stories and columns to several newspapers. His novel De god met de blauwe ogen (‘The blue-eyed god’) was published in 2010 by KIT. Presently Babah works as a freelance journalist and is working on his second novel.
Director: Barbet Schroeder
Cast: Idi Amin Dada
Production: Les Films du Losange
Cinematographer: Nestor Almendros
Sound: Alain Sempé
Editing: Denise de Casabianca
Music: Idi Amin Dada
FR, 1974, 1h32min
http://www.filmsdulosange.fr/en/film/62/general-idi-amin-dada
In collaboration with Mo*
