Screening
Rain the Color Blue with a Little Red in It
Tuareg title: Akounak Tedalat Taha Tazoughai
Niger. Dir. Christopher Kirkley. 2015, 75mins. In Tuareg w/English subtitles.
Starring Tuareg blues guitarist Mdou Moctar, Rain the Color Blue with a Little Red in It is the first-ever Tuareg language feature, and a loose remake of Prince’s Purple Rain. The film tells the universal story of a musician trying to make it against all odds, set against the backdrop of the raucous subculture of Tuareg guitar. Mdou must battle fierce competition from jealous musicians, overcome family conflicts, and endure the trials of love—all while coming to terms with one of the biggest barriers: himself. Musicologist/director Christopher Kirkley first heard the music of Moctar on cellphones in the Sahara and Sahel, where he has been living, traveling, and recording music since 2009, then visited him in Niger and recorded a full-length album.
Preceded by Anar (Dir. Christopher Kirkley. 2012, 4 mins.) Moctar’s autotune music video is accompanied by footage from the spaghetti western, Tuareg: The Desert Warrior, starring Mark Harmon.
Tickets: $12 ($9 for senior citizens and students / free for members at the Film Lover level and above). Order tickets online. (Members may contact [email protected] with any questions regarding online reservations.)All tickets include same-day admission to the Museum (see gallery hours). View the Museum’s ticketing policy here. For more information on membership and to join online, visit our membership page.