The wind-swept town of Zinder in the heart of the Sahel region of Niger is a place travellers only pass through.

Kara-Kara, the former lepers’ quarter, is the pariahs’ district of this town. Gangs referred to as the "Palais” have sprung up in this area and are spreading their influence throughout the town. Obsessed by a culture of bodybuilding and violence, the gang members induce fear in the population.

Outside the moments spent together in a body-building camp, some of them follow the path that will lead them to a life of crime and prison or a violent death, others strive to pull themselves out of the rut they find themselves in. This is the case for Siniya, Bawo and Ramsess, whom the director, originally from Zinder, has succeeded in filming up close to reveal to us their survival strategies. By following them in their daily lives divided between their gang, their family and fending for themselves, she gives us a sense of their desire to break free from the cycle of violence which has built their identities.

Dir. Aicha Macky, 85min, 2021, Niger, France, Germany, South Africa

"I understood that Kara-Kara could exist anywhere and is just a reflection of our collec- tive behaviors and the result of a divide: them vs. us." - Aicha Macky on the www.truestoryfilm.blog

"Casting a perceptive and tender gaze on her hometown of Zinder, the third largest city in Niger, Aicha Macky’s documentary travels through visions of beauty as well as poverty. The majestic golden-hued landscapes that open the film quickly give way to a more troubling sight: two youths cruising through the impoverished neighbourhood of Kara-Kara on a bicycle, a giant swastika flag in hand." - Guardian

"A vividly observed chronicle of Tough, unforgiving Streets." - Variety

"elegant and measured” - Business Doc Europe

"Scenes of tireless hustle under the dry, hot sun are punctuated by intimate interviews in darkened rooms where these defiant survivors reveal their scars, both physical and psychic, with devastating honesty." - Musuem of the Moving Image, First Look.

"Aicha Macky paints a moving portrait of Zinder, which she dedicates to the youth of her country." - Visions du Reel

"Close-ups of scars bear witness to violence, but with its surprisingly hopeful tone, Zinder shows that’s not all there is to life here. The tough poses, domestic moments, hazardous smuggling trips, personal stories, and scenes in the red light district and jail all come together in a candid exploration that evades the stereotypes." - IDFA