While The Burial of Kojo suffers from some of the traditional shortcomings of a first time feature film - a tendency to become a tad unwieldy at times, struggling with artistic rigor and focus - the film remains a staggeringly original work which blends African mysticism, surrealism, and a unique narrative construction to deliver a potent tale of the perpetual toxicity of guilt. Rhythmic and impressionistic in its designs, Burial of Kojo eschews traditional point-of-view storytelling to great effect, presenting a story in which mood and lyricism take precedence over dialogue-driven intent. The film's narrative-based construction sometimes feels at odds with its more meditative, impressionist sensibilities, as if the filmmaker feels unsure at times about his film's own formalism, unwilling to commit to a wholly bold, experimental construction. What remains though is a work by Sam Blitz Bazawule which shows a fundamental understanding of the power of imagery and aesthetic in the cinema arts, with the dialogue sometimes even feeling intrusive to this spiritual & meditative film, and that is despite the film being self-aware in its prerogative to feature dialogue that is precisely informative, never superfluous or expository. The antithesis to asceticism, The Burial of Kojo radiates it its stylish aesthetic, heavy in its surrealism that adheres perfectly to the mystical sensibilities of this father and daughter tale, one in which the aura of supernatural fervor radiates from the very first frame, juxtaposing the old-experienced nature of guilt against youthful naivety-induced optimism. Poignant, ambitious, flawed yet it undoubtedly features the spirit of a filmmaker with something to say, The Burial of Kojo is an impressive first time feature worth seeking out
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AuthorLove of all things cinema brought me here. Archives
June 2023
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