Following 2021's Blind Love and 2022's Theo: vestlus aususega, After the Long Rains is Damien Hauser's third feature film—not bad going for someone in their early twenties. The Zurich-based Hauser is an extremely hands-on filmmaker, and a brief glance at the end credits of the IFFR-selected After the Long Rains reveals the extent of his involvement; beyond Hauser's duties as writer-director, his responsibilities include editing, producing, composing, photographing, driving, and mixing the sound. Hauser's multitasking appears to be a direct result of budgetary constraints—as opposed to a monomaniacal desire to control virtually every aspect of this handsome-looking production.
After the Long Rains centres on Aisha (Eletricer Kache Hamisi), a lively ten-year-old who dreams of becoming an actress. Once this plan is vetoed by her elders, Aisha focuses on becoming a fisherwoman, something she considers to be a more achievable ambition. However, even that career choice is frowned upon by others, who think of fishing as an exclusively male activity. This gender bias also goes in the other direction, as Aisha's older brother Omari (Ibrahim Joseph) is handy with a sewing machine and has a secret passion for making clothes, yet he's widely expected to follow in the footsteps of family patriarch Bakari (Emmanuel Baraka Gunga), who earns his living as a motorcycle chauffeur.
Undeterred by such views, the headstrong Aisha pushes on with learning all she can about fishing, and she's helped in this endeavour by local angler Hassan (Bosco Baraka Karisa), who is happy to tell the child what he knows—including a handed-down tale of a mythical golden fish. Hassan is generally an amiable sort, but his fondness for a few drinks leads to a heated exchange between the fisherman and Bakari that puts Aisha's training in jeopardy. Towards its conclusion, After the Long Rains brilliantly veers off into a magical realism that provides a glimpse of the dazzling work it might have been (budget permitting). As it stands, Damien Hauser's film is likeable and pleasant, but far from essential.
Darren Arnold
Images: BFI
