Movie: Youssou N'Dour: I Bring What I Love
I saw it on: September 13, 2009
Cast: Youssou N'Dour
Genre: Biography, Music
Synopsis: Youssou N'Dour, a native of Snegal, is a devout Muslim. He is a singer who is the best-selling artist of all time in Africa. His career took a downturn when he dared to release an album with religious overtones called Egypt during Ramadan. Religious authorities felt he was being disrespectful of his country and his religion. All was forgiven when the album won Youssou a Grammy – the first ever won by an Afircan.
My two cents: A nice look at a devout Muslim who is very open about his religion and its importance to his life, while at the same time is very tolerant of non-Muslim faiths. A lesson to us all about religious tolerance. When Youssou did a concert tour in Europe for the Egypt album, he was greeted by adoring crowds. Americans liked it enough to give him a Grammy. Yet his own countrymen resisted the album. Even those who liked it were afraid to publicly admit it. Youssou was not trying to be a rabble rouser, he just felt if it the best way to express his devout beliefs. He eventually won over the critics in his own country, but it took a while.
Definitely a movie worth seeing – especially if you are interested in seeing sides of the Muslim faith too often left out of news stories.
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