Imagine millions of people walking through a desert landscape in the most colorful flowing clothes. Highways filled with cars, trucks, donkey carts for miles as far as the eye can see, all moving together heading in one direction, straight to the mystical, magical oasis of a city called Touba. This is the annual pilgrimage known as the Grand Magal in Senegal.
My first experience in Touba was in 2007 and in all of my experiences traveling and filming around the world, that trip resonated right from my eyes to my soul. Visually it drew me in, and I was hooked. I have since traveled back there more than 7 times to film and photograph the place, the people and the epic journey.
Director, E. Chai Vasarhelyi and I were outsiders that first trip limited in access to many of the holy areas in and around the city. It took several years and numerous trips back to gain the trust of the community in allowing us to film.
And today, almost six years after that first trip, TOUBA, the documentary film that I shot and produced with Chai directing has been accepted into the SXSW film and music festival for 2013 and has been selected for the Documentary Feature Competition. It's a great honor and we are all thrilled to be a part of this amazing festival. http://sxsw.com/film/screenings/film-lineup#documentarycompetition.
I will be sharing some of my photography here over the next few weeks and am in the process of putting together of book on the journey.
Website and trailer coming soon. It was a privilege and honor to be a part of this project. Stay tuned for more!
Peace, SD
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