BAKS

This is certainly the first African film to tackle the problem of street children and drugs. Idrissa is a rebellious little boy who drops out of school and joins a gang of hooligans that live on the beaches of Dakar. He gradually becomes detached from his family and adopted by his new friends who initiate him into the art of theft and the pleasures of yamba, marijuana. In his new role as a "tough guy", Idrissa becomes Boy Idi and begins to push joints. Everybody seems to smoke in Dakar. "Even respectable people do it", says one of the small drug pushers. Whilst Idrissa's father loses interest in the fate of his son, his mother decides to go to the police and an inspector sets off to hunt down the gang.

Director: Momar Thiam.
Screenplay: Mamadou Traore, Momar Thiam.
Director of photography: Cheickh Dieng.
Sound: El Hadj M'Bow.
Editor: Ghislaine Dejonquères.
Cast: Nar Sène, Farba Sarr, Magoné Ndiaye, Marème Niang, Langouste, Badou Faye, Papa Fall.
Production company: Momar Thiam e Société Nationale de Cinéma (Sénégal).