The Law

Plot

Saga returns to his village after a long absence, and finds that his father has married Nogma, his fiancee, during his leave. Nogma has become his second wife, and by law, Saga's mother. Saga runs away and builds a straw hut near the village.

Still in love, Saga and Nogma begin an affair, with Nogma telling her parents she is going to visit her aunt, then running to Saga's hut. After the affair is discovered, Saga's father decrees that he must die for dishonoring the family. Nogma's father hangs himself from a tree, and Nogma is disowned by her mother at her father's funeral. Saga's brother Kougri is selected to execute Saga. He pretends to kill Saga so as to restore the family's honor.

Saga and Nogma then run away to another village, and the family falls apart. As Saga and Nogma begin to build a life, Nogma tells Saga that she is pregnant. Meanwhile, Kougri comes to regret his failure to kill Saga. After Saga's birth mother dies, Saga returns to the village, exposing Kougri's failure to carry out his father's orders. Kougri's father tells him he is banished. Kougri then picks up Saga's rifle and shoots him for having brought ruin to the family and his own life. He then walks off into exile and probable death.

Cast

Rasmane Ouedraogo as Saga

Ina Cissé as Nogma

Roukietou Barry as Kuilga

Assane Ouedraogo as Kougri

Sibidou Sidibe as Poko

Moumouni Ouedraogo as Tenga

Mariam Barry as Bore

Seydou Ouédraogo as Nomenaba

Mariam Ouedraogo as Koudpoko

Daouda Porgo as Porgo

Kogre Warma as Maiga

Mamadou Ganame as Ganame

Azeta Porgo as Azeta

Noufou Ouédraogo as The child

Salif Ouedraogo as The peddler

Amade Ganame as Villager

Issaka Porgo as Villager

Moumouni Selinga as Villager

Adma Sidibe as Villager

Boureima Warma as Villager

Fati Ouedraogo as Villager

Madi Derme as Cavalier

Amidou Ouedraogo as Cavalier

Awards

Tilaï won the Jury Grand Prize at the 1990 Cannes Film Festival and the Grand Prize at the 1991 Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou.