Underplayed Gems

Clando (1996)

Clando poster
Directed by
Jean-Marie Teno
Genre
drama film
Country
Cameroon, Germany, France
Runtime
1h 38m
Rating
6.6 of 10 from 5 voters
Elsewhere
IMDb
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How it feels

A man in Cameroon loses his job as a computer programmer and starts driving an unlicensed cab. After being arrested and tortured for distributing anti-government leaflets, he moves to Germany, where he falls in love with an activist who encourages him to return home.

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What happens

Clando is a 1996 drama film from Cameroon directed by Jean-Marie Teno. Initially set in Douala, the film explores the experiences of Anatole Sobgui (played by Paulin Fodouop), a man who loses his job as a computer programmer and begins working as an unlicensed cab driver (or 'clando'). He is arrested and tortured by a corrupt regime for printing anti-government leaflets. Left sexually and psychologically impotent by the experience, his life begins to deteriorate rapidly. He migrates to Cologne to find his former employer's son, Chamba. Here, he falls in love with a local, political activist named Irene, who convinces him to return home to Cameroon. Clando was Teno's first feature-length film. It addresses issues around migration and political violence in Cameroon, and sharply criticizes the authoritarian leadership. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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