Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows Shop News Showtimes

Yaaba

Released Oct 6, 1989 1h 30m Drama List
88% Tomatometer 16 Reviews 92% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
In a small African village, elderly Sana is ostracized, but 10-year-old Bila doesn't think she's a witch and calls her Yaaba, which means grandmother. After Sana saves Bila's deathly ill cousin Nopoko, Bila comes to Sana's defense when the village medicine man accuses her of taking Nopoko's soul.

Critics Reviews

View All (16) Critics Reviews
Ronnie Scheib Chicago Reader [Its] directness breeds an intimacy, a sense of familiarity. By the film’s end we know every mud-bricked courtyard and intersection of the tiny village... May 11, 2022 Full Review Jill Forbes Sight & Sound The other source of Yaaba's appeal, however, is its capacity to evoke universal truths by recounting simple events and so to transcend the confines of village, state or even continent. Jan 16, 2020 Full Review Sheila Benson Los Angeles Times Yaaba's power sneaks up on you. At first it seems as spare as the airy African Savannah where it unfolds. It's only with a little distance from its muted beauty that the plan of the film becomes clear. Rated: 4/5 Sep 12, 2013 Full Review Marvin J. Bevans The Crisis Yaaba is a small movie with a big heart. Nov 14, 2023 Full Review David Sterritt Christian Science Monitor It isn't a fancy or melodramatic film, and it moves rather slowly, especially if you compare it with hyperactive Hollywood pictures. But it glows with gentleness and charm Sep 12, 2013 Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews The touching fairy-tale pic has a polished lush look, and the naturalistic performances make it look convincingly realistic. Rated: B+ Aug 2, 2011 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (3) audience reviews
Audience Member A quiet film with subtlety and compassion and a few things that even reminded me of "Pather Panchali." Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/18/23 Full Review Audience Member Classique du cine africain, visible a la Cinematheque actuellement. Illustre la tendance au conte poetique en milieu rural, parfois denonce pour etre des enluminures pour festivals occidentaux. C'est pas faux. Mais c'est pas mal non plus. Ouedraogo reste un des trois ou quatre metteurs en scene africains de haut niveau. En plus, il a le meme nom qu'un rugbyman. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/25/23 Full Review Audience Member Very well acted & filmed docu-drama of opposed generations in a very defined social structure. Truly touching. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/19/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Yaaba

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Cast & Crew

Show Less Cast & Crew Show More Cast & Crew

More Like This

View All Best Movies to Stream at Home
Gorillas in the Mist 84% 75% Gorillas in the Mist The Accidental Tourist 82% 60% The Accidental Tourist Daughters of the Dust 94% 66% Daughters of the Dust Sarah, Plain and Tall 80% 71% Sarah, Plain and Tall Discover more movies and TV shows. View More
View All Yaaba photos

Yaaba

Yaaba (1989) Yaaba (1989) Yaaba (1989) Yaaba (1989) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis In a small African village, elderly Sana is ostracized, but 10-year-old Bila doesn't think she's a witch and calls her Yaaba, which means grandmother. After Sana saves Bila's deathly ill cousin Nopoko, Bila comes to Sana's defense when the village medicine man accuses her of taking Nopoko's soul.
Director
Idrissa Ouédraogo
Producer
Michel David, Idrissa Ouédraogo
Screenwriter
Idrissa Ouédraogo
Distributor
New Yorker Films
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 6, 1989, Original
Runtime
1h 30m