The movie, Beutset, is the journey of a man who discovers that the norms of his society are not only absurd, but also harmful. It is a thirty minute film directed by Alicia Mendy that encapsulates the trauma of oppression, the discovery of one's oppression, and the anger of the oppressed. Our protagonist, Alioune, lives in Dakar where a parasite has supposedly infected the water, making consumption lethal. The inhabitants are sold black pills to counteract the effects of the parasite, but these pills also stop them from dreaming. Meanwhile, there are more valuable pink pills that can induce dreams, but are rare to come by. Due to lack of money, Alioune is unable to continue buying black pills and has decided to stop drinking water. He feels unwell and discovers that there is more to his world.

The character development in the film is satisfying. Alioune begins as a character caged in by systems out of his reach and an upholder of the status quo. But by the end he is a new person. He discovers more, finds a new family, and leads a revolution. The film feels a bit rushed towards the end, but as this is a short film, I will not fault it for that.

I chose Beutset for its violent critique of the status quo. Its analysis of what it is to dream, have dreams, and be without dreams. I enjoyed its use of community to drive its goals. Additionally, as an African who loves speculative fiction it was a wonderful surprise to watch this as the genre is unheard of in popular films from my country, Nigeria (though Beutset is not a Nigerian film). Visually, it is a feast to watch. The still images used are both beautiful and purposeful. From the cool toned color grading reminiscent of a sterile hospital room, to the colors of the outfits which match the color grading, to camera movements, to the objects in the film. Everything has a purpose, and is delivered with haunting clarity.

Let us dwell on color for a bit. The colors in a film tell you implicitly how you should feel and think of the film. In this film, we have blue-toned colors pervading it. Not just in the color grading but also in the outfits. As I have said, this calls to my mind, a harsh sterility mixed with a gentle sadness and violence. 

But then we have these beautifully bright scenes washed out in white light. They are especially common in his dreaming sequences. It is easy to understand why this was chosen. He is quiet literally seeing the light in these dreams. The mentor character and his newfound family also appear to him in these.

Onto objects, the objects shown in a film are vital. Things can be imbibed with auras. In this essay, I want to talk about six key objects in this film: the DOD dispensing machine; the black pills; the DOD sign; Alioune's bed; the radio; and the pink pills.

The film begins by showing us the DOD dispensing machine that houses the black pills. Here, we are introduced to three of the most important things in this film. The dispensing machine. The black pills. The DOD sign.

The dispensing machine is the hand that decides who lives and who does not. The black pills are the givers of life, yet they steal dreams. They are even more valuable than money, as we see people trading them amongst themselves in a later scene. These are the pills that will dominate our and Alioune's minds for much of the film. Their color, too, gives them a foreboding nature. It does not come as a surprise when one of the characters says they taste foul. The black pills can be anything that depresses us and sucks our living force. This can be oppressive systems, or the act of existing in survival mode.

The DOD sign. We never see a representative of DOD, the organisation that makes and distributes these pills. The most that we get as a voice of authority is the voice of the radio which constantly reads out the deaths of the day. Yet, this white neon sign represents a violent yet faceless force.

The bed. There are a few scenes with the protagonist in bed. Because we have seen him in bed and dreaming often, when the other characters call him, the dreamer, the sleeper, we expect this on a subconscious level. Even his bed has the two colors that are important to this film. There is the dark blue bed sheet, the white pillow cases, and the white mosquito net.

The radio. Every morning, the radio reads out the progression of the parasite and the death toll. In this way people are forced to continue to take the black pills through fear. It is common knowledge that systems control us through the dissemation of news. It is a pivotal moment when Alioune throws the radio off the table and flushes the black pills down the toilet.

The pink pills. We are shown only one pink pill throughout the movie, and later learn that it is a fake. No one has actually ever gotten a pink pill. For me, this represents the illusive happiness that systems of oppression use to subdue the masses into sheephood. We are told that if we continue to obey, at some point, not right not, but at some point, it will all be worth it. Be it in financial stability, happiness, health, friends, prestige, fame, etc. Yet most will never even touch a pink pill. Anyone can be a millionaire, indeed.

Lastly, filming decisions and camera movements. When Alioune begins to tire from his lack of water, we see the camera shutter like he does. This truly pulls us into the moment. 

When he screams at the mentor character and accuses him of drugging him, the sharp cuts are spectacular. 

When the other dreamers dance and dream together, the camera catches all of this in all their glory. 

There is a scene that is replayed twice, but each time the meaning is different. It is the scene where Alioune walks down a busy street, and we see people going about their lives and exchanging black pills. The first time is to introduce us to the world, and the second time there are new elements in the scene and a pungent wrongness to everything. By this time, Alioune has experienced a change that allows him to see the absurdity in the mundane.

The moral of Beutset is clear. When the oppressed see the absurdity in the mundane and are infuriated then systems of oppression die. 

Note: I watched this film at the Tampere Film Festival in Tampere, Finland. I included a link about it, bit I do not know if it can be watched online.