Jean-Pierre Dikongué Pipa

Brief Illness

Jean-Pierre Dikongué Pipa

justine sengue, Alexandre Zanga

Badiaga follows the rules of a classical tragedy. A three year old girl abandoned in a food market is sheltered and raised by a deaf and dumb vagrant. They develop a very strong bond. Badiaga dreams of becoming a famous singer and listens in total fascination to the artists who sing in the different cafés where she wanders. One day she has the chance of singing on the radio a song which becomes a national hit. From that moment onwards she holds a nonstop succession of concerts. In love with her career, she refuses any romantic relations and searches desperately for her origins. This story was inspired by the life of Beti-Beti, a legendary Cameroon singer.

The Child of Another

Jean-Pierre Dikongué Pipa

Philippe Abia, Arlette Din Beli

Ngando and Ndomé share an extremely perfect love. Yet, tradition demands a dowry for Ndomé’s hand that Ngando, an orphan, cannot afford. Forced to ask his uncle for assistance, Ngando finds himself at the mercy of his uncle’s lust and greed. How can Ngando and Ndomé find peace together? Their journey will be challenging and everyone will learn that not everything special can be saved.

The Price of Liberty

Jean-Pierre Dikongué Pipa

Marie-Thérèse Badje, Bibi Kouo

After refusing the sexual advances of her village chief and her father's authority, a young woman runs away from home and goes to town. There she meets several members of her family and tries to start her life from scratch. She enrolls at a high school and makes new friends. However, she realizes that social relations in town also depend on sexual favors and that around her everyone has given in to that practice. When she loses the only man she loved, the girl returns to her village and in a fit of rage sets it on fire.

Histoires drôles et drôles de gens

Jean-Pierre Dikongué Pipa

An African storyteller, humorously and kindly, talks about how some of his fellow countrymen are emulating the habits of white people and "Their stuff". He thus presents several cases to prove his point. In one of them a supposed to be planter and businessman who underpay an employee gets framed by his own folks. A young boy, jump from a high tree with an open umbrella to copy the way the parachutist do in the city. A few other examples are as pathetic or comical. At the epilogue our storyteller finds himself being laughed at, at a bistro in Paris. The way he deals with the situation is kind, and again humorous.