Indy Film Fest: Le Voyage de Talia (Talia's Journey)

An evocative tale about prodigal daughter of Senegal returning to her homeland in search of her grandmother, and her own identity.

For Indy Film Fest schedule and tickets, please click here.

Nadège Bibo-Tansia plays the title character in “Talia’s Journey,” a teen girl who was raised in Belgium and has decided to return to her home country of Senegal. Ostensibly her purpose is to rediscover her family roots, especially her long-lost grandmother, but it’s soon clear in this evocative drama from director and co-writer Christophe Rolin that the person who’s most on a quest to find is herself. Westernized in her attitudes, she’s both shocked and intrigued by the natural, raw beauty of the country and its life-loving people. She forms a friendship with Malika, the poor girl living next door to her cousin’s extravagant mansion, who sells tiny birds for people to make a wish upon and set free. “You think misery is pretty,” Malika accuses, as Talia struggles with her waylaid African identity.

(Editor’s note: only a capsule review of this film is permitted for festival coverage.)