The Woman with the Knife (La femme au couteau)

Cette restauration fait partie de l’African Film Heritage Project,

une initiative créée par le World Cinema Project de la Film Foundation,

par la Fédération Panafricaine des Cinéastes et par l’UNESCO,

en collaboration avec la Cineteca di Bologna,

pour aider à localiser, restaurer et diffuser le cinéma africain.

La restauration en 4K de "La femme au couteau" a été réalisée

à partir des négatifs image et son originaux.

Le négatif image original, endommagé par la moisissure et la poussière,

présentait aussi des rayures et a exigé une restauration numérique importante.

Le réalisateur Timité Bassori a supervisé l'étalonnage.

Film restauré en 2019 par La Cineteca di Bologna/L'Immagine Ritrovata

et le World Cinema Project de The Film Foundation

Restauration financée par la George Lucas Family Foundation

THE WOMAN WITH THE KNIFE

This woman is a double from the afterlife.

Every person on earth has a double in the world of the dead.

Usually, they are the same sex as their earthly counterpart.

But sometimes, as in your case,

they may also be of the opposite sex.

And that creates emotional problems.

These doubles are very jealous.

This woman, aside from her bouts of jealousy, is a guardian.

She protects you from any danger that might befall you.

You must learn to understand her and accept her ways.

For she is very demanding.

Do not fear her. Her presence is beneficial.

But I don't want to influence your decision.

If she scares you so much that you never want to see her again...

you'll never see her again.

But if you want to see her more and strengthen your bond...

I can help that to happen.

Before we begin, I'd like you to weigh up the pros and cons...

because once the work is done,

I cannot undo your decision.

So think it over for a few days.

This is all so silly.

I can hardly believe it myself. And yet I know I saw her.

She came towards me...

with a knife in her hand.

It's quite possible, and I take your word for it.

The surprising thing

is that I instinctively went to the witch doctor.

It's a side of me that I wasn't aware of.

I was so sure that I had left superstition behind.

And then, at the first sign of trouble I run to the witch doctor for comfort.

It's embarrassing.

You know, if you'd gone to a shrink, he would have talked nonsense too.

Let's be honest,

at least there's a certain romance about seeing a witch doctor.

You did what any scared person would: we cling to our beliefs.

What matters is what you feel, what you yourself believe.

This vision has shocked you. Find out how it relates to your past.

Are you able to take control of the situation?

Control? Control what? I don't even know what I'm afraid of.

Well, perhaps.

Maybe once I collect my thoughts. But right now that's impossible.

I can't stop worrying about the next apparition...

of that double from the afterlife.

I'm too scared to take a shower or close my eyes.

I'm scared to death.

Sometimes when I'm alone,

I feel a presence close beside me.

The problem is, how do we find out the truth?

How do we explain this phenomenon and with what evidence?

Where does she come from?

Who is she? What does she want from me?

- What are you thinking? - Nothing.

About what you said.

Sir, if you don't know the name of the person you want to see

then I can't find him for you.

How can you know someone and not know their name?

Well, you see it's quite complicated.

I was a boy when I knew him but I never knew his name.

I used to call him Uncle. He was a family friend.

And he has been here for three years?

So they say.

I'm not from here. I've been travelling.

I'll do my best, but don't get your hopes up.

Do you see him?

There. I recognise him.

So it's him, the man with the leather bracelet.

Like everyone here, he has a story to tell.

Good evening.

You don't seem pleased to see me.

I have something to give you.

Take good care of it. It will be of great help to you.

So when I got there, I was still very innocent.

One day a friend said, "Time to pop your cherry!"

They took me to a brothel.

Brothels over there aren't like ours. They're beautiful houses.

Inside, they have thick carpets and mirrors all over the walls.

Like palaces.

So they took me there.

We went in and were greeted in the lounge.

They showed us pictures of the women to choose from.

When you've made your choice the girls are called in.

Boy, did we have fun!

We drank the finest wines, ate wonderful food

and danced.

The girl I picked... She was a real beauty.

Her chest was like this!

And her eyes...

When she looked at me and she raised her eyebrows...

a shock ran through me and I wanted to ravish her there and then!

She was fantastic.

Her name was Lili.

Was she white?

Of course. It's their country. All the girls are white.

Who do you think work the fields, wait tables and sweep the streets?

White people.

There are rich and poor people.

The poor are just like here,

but the rich are richer than you have ever seen.

Over there, the rich people are seriously rich.

Have you been to Paris? Do you know France too?

That's not quite how it works.

Paris is a city and France is the country.

Like here, Ivory Coast is the country and Abidjan the city.

I've been to many cities.

I know Marseille, Toulon, Nîmes, Fréjus, Bordeaux...

and Paris, of course.

And plenty more.

Will you ever go back there?

To live in those countries you need a lot of money.

And I've got none.

You must go when you're young.

That way you can learn all kinds of things.

Just by walking through Paris, for example, you learn French history.

Good evening.

Don't move. Sit down.

May I sit?

I am your wife from the hereafter.

Don't be so impatient.

You'll destroy the love that is growing between us.

You cannot touch me.

I am only the light by which you can see me.

Like a flame you long to touch,

it will burn you or you'll snuff it out.

You must wait until I materialise.

Until I physically come to life.

The other night, I gave you my leather bracelet.

It will be the only material thing

that you possess of me while you wait.

I must leave you now.

Sleep well.

I will come back.

It will be a surprise. See you soon.

Let me go!

I'll smash your face in!

I'm not a "darkie"!

I've been to Paris and Marseille. You're a disgrace!

I won't be bullied by fools like him.

Good evening.

Don't be afraid, it's me.

Don't move.

I will stay close to you today.

I told you it would be a surprise.

I've come to tell you, you can summon me when you want.

Just take the bracelet and I will be there with you.

Would you like that?

Then just take the bracelet with you, and I will be there.

Sweet dreams.

Good night.

It's so great to be taking this trip together.

- What did you say? - I wasn't talking to you.

Take us to the veterans' home.

Yes, sir.

This outing was so important to you,

I could hardly refuse to come.

You should enjoy it too.

I'd feel bad if I thought

you were only here for my sake.

Of course I'll enjoy it.

Don't worry.

If you don't mind, I'll just be a minute.

I have to drop this at the police station.

It's just across the street. Thank you.

Good day, officer.

There's a strange man in my taxi.

He keeps talking to himself, as if there's somebody with him.

He's scaring me.

I want him out of my taxi.

The police shouldn't let these people roam the streets.

Are you complaining about a customer or the police?

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you.

But that man is still in my taxi.

What do I do?

Don't bother me with something so small.

Just politely ask him to get out.

But he's crazy! He could be dangerous.

Alright, don't cry. I'll help you to get rid of him.

Wait here.

Where has he got to?

Taxi drivers are so impolite.

Can you believe it? He just gets out and leaves us here!

Let's go on foot.

That will teach him to abandon us.

Here he is, officer.

But... where did he go?

Is this some sort of joke?