Gito, the Ungrateful

In outline, Ngabo's (and Burundi's) first feature sounds like an Eric Rohmer comedy of manners. Back home with a Parisian diploma in his pocket and expecting to walk into a civil service job, Gito finds himself both unemployed and caught between two women: his current French girlfriend Christine and his local old flame Flora. If it plays more like sit-com than Rohmer, then that reflects Ngabo's need to appeal to audiences at home and abroad and his well-developed sense of humour: the film runs rings round both male pride and the emerging African bourgeoisie. Minor, but highly watchable.