Comboio de Sal e Açúcar (2016)

Comboio de Sal e Açúcar: Directed by Licínio Azevedo. With Matamba Joaquim, Melanie de Vales Rafael, Thiago Justino, António Nipita. A very dangerous train journey through war torn Mozambique. Civilian passengers are both protected and harassed by a troop of ill-disciplined soldiers on board to fight off a rebel army in the bush. All must work together to repair sabotaged track and reach safety.

“I read the screenplay of this motion picture for Ibermedia long ago, and it was very good. It took me quite a while to find a good copy (6GB, which I did not ask for!) and had the same impression, that it is a very well written movie.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWhile the plot revolves around a dangerous trip through a territory under guerrilla control, with soldiers protecting the travellers and fighting the enemy, tension is sparse, as the story simultaneously covers different aspects: the romance of a nurse and a sergeant, the militaryu0026#39;s sexual abuse of the travelling women, the mysterious commander who relies on his religious belief to take decisions (not explicitly, but the ikure –an instrument that Santería priests use during divination sessions and other ceremonies– that the commander has all the time and frequently moves, makes it evident), t, the spies or traitors that can be aboard the train… and then the brief war scenes. The subplots and details contribute to make a fine canvas of civil war in Mozambique, during the 1980s.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eHowever, from the u0026quot;mise-en-screenu0026quot; point of view, as I watched the resulting movie from the script I read, I felt that somehow it lacked a bit of kinetic brio. Nevertheless, the general acting is good, the running time is precise, and the cinematography by Frédéric Serve is impressive, so all help to make watching the movie a fine experience.”