The life of a troubled couple from a town in Mali is the focus of director Abderrahmnane Sissako’s BAMAKO. While the husband, Chaka, is out of work, Mele is barely scraping by as a singer in a local bar. As the couple’s problems come to a head, a larger socioeconomic issue runs parallel to and becomes enmeshed with their lives as the community courtyard outside their home serves as the makeshift courtroom for a trial between a civil spokesperson and a large international corporation that may be partially responsible for Africa’s woes. Aissa Maiga and Tiecoura Traore deliver captivating lead performances and Danny Glover co-stars in this observant yet intimate drama.