ADANGGAMAN is an unblinking look at a rarely acknowledged underside of African history: the active role of black Africans in supplying human cargo for the European slave trade. Deftly blending fact, myth, and personal drama, the story centers on Ossei, a strong-willed young man who sets out to rescue his mother when their village is raided. His quest leads him to the stronghold of the dreaded King Adanggaman, an arrogant despot who thrives on the slave trade and uses fierce female warriors to enforce his power. One of these Amazons, herself a former slave, falls in love with Ossei, and the couple escape into the bush, where they lead a paradisiacal but precarious existence in the shadow of Adanggaman"s vengeance. Africa is shown to contain extraordinary possibilities for both freedom and tyranny, and the film"s power derives from the way it places an inspiring dream of independence alongside a bitter account of that dream s betrayal. As an alternative perspective to AMISTAD and ROOTS, ADANGGAMAN tells a story that should never be forgotten. DVD Details: Ivory Coast and Switzerland, 2000, 85 minutes, Color, Region 1, NTSC, Dolby Digital Stereo 2.0; In Bambara, Baule and French with English subtitles; Special Features: 11-minute video: Historical Viewpoint by Fritz Umbach, Professor of World History, John Jay College, City University of New York; Scene Selections; Liner Notes: Interview with the director by New Yorker Films founder Dan Talbot; reference guide. "Shocking and disturbing." -John Petrakis, CHICAGO TRIBUNE