Timbuktu, Mali, is under the command of Islamic fundamentalists. Away from the residents living under oppression in the new rule, Kidane and his family live in a nearby desert with his wife and daughter, and shepherd Issan. One day, he kills a fisherman who killed his cow, and must appear before the court controlled by the fundamentalists. Timbuktu is a drama full of poetry and accusations against reality by world-renowned director Abderrahmane Sissako. Watching Malians who had once lived in harmony with nature being persecuted for not being able to adjust to a harder, less compassionate version of religion makes us question the world around us, and the meaning of religion. The director’s humanist side emerges in his portrayal of the peaceful citizens who had lived with dignity, the regret over the destroyed ancient city, and even an atypical view of the fundamentalists. An added bonus to the film is the inspiring imagery. The silent resistance by singing inside the head and playing soccer without a ball, the symbolism behind the pairing of the beginning and the end, and the touching finale ? all present us with emotions hard to describe. This is certainly the most talked about movie of the year. (RHEE Soue-won)