Binta and the Great Idea

Binta, the narrator, presents life in a peaceful Senegalese village near Bignona and introduces her father, a small-time fisherman. She hints at the ambitions that will steer the family’s future. The film uses her voice to braid together her father’s dreams with the community’s everyday rhythm.

A friend who recently visited Europe describes boats with sonar that can haul in thousands of fish. The tale stirs the father’s imagination about wealth and opportunity beyond the village. It plants the seed that modernization could change their fortunes.

Inspired by the Europe tale, the father resolves to petition the government for a permit to operate a bigger boat. He believes such a permit could lift his family out of poverty and bring pride to the village. He begins planning how to approach local officials.

The friend hints that wealth can attract risk and that a firearm permit might be necessary, a notion the father starts to take seriously. He also fondly mentions a watch that rings at noon, using the joke to hint that time could mark opportunity. The conversation marks a shift toward considering power and protection as part of his ambitions.

Binta’s father begins a grinding ascent through the local bureaucracy, pitching his 'great idea' to different officials. He receives cautious interest and occasional skepticism as he pushes up the ranks. The montage of meetings shows his persistence and the growing gap between aspiration and reality.

Soda, Binta’s cousin, longs to study, but her father the elder insists that African girls belong at home. The dispute between tradition and education mirrors the larger questions about progress in the village. The tension sets up the community-wide stakes for sticking with or changing old rules.

Village children stage a play at the school to persuade Soda’s father to let her attend. The performance highlights the value of education and demonstrates community support for reform. The play becomes a catalyst for changing minds beyond Soda’s family.

Soda’s father finally agrees that she should go to school, marking a personal win for education in the village. The decision signals a broader shift toward empowering girls and embracing learning. The moment also strengthens the sense that small wins can accumulate into lasting change.

Meanwhile, Binta’s father continues meeting with the provincial leader, advocating for his broader vision and seeking formal endorsement. The process exposes the friction between regional authority and local ambition. Persistence, rather than instant success, becomes the defining thread of his journey.

During a pivotal meeting, the true nature of his 'great idea' begins to emerge and feel less like a business plan and more like a social mission. The conversation reframes ambition as a way to shape the world through humane values. The provincial leader's response reveals whether the plan can gain traction.

Ultimately, the plan is revealed: adopting a tubab (white) child to teach the values of sharing, solidarity, and sustainable use of resources. The idea aims to model Western ideals within his family and community. It positions a personal family's mission within a broader, hopeful social project.

The film closes with a sense of hopeful purpose as the father pursues this adopted-child project. The adopted child stands as a living symbol of his ideals and a catalyst for change in the village and beyond. The narrative leaves the audience with the possibility that small, ethical actions can ripple outward.