According to Kirkley, documentaries on the Sahel musical traditions tend to focus on the rough political history of this genre of desert blues. Instead this film is “a revolutionary story of guitars, motorcycles, cell phones—and the music of a new generation.”

The director has also said he hopes to promote the music of the region. The soundtrack took two years to complete, with much of it done during spontaneous recording sessions or during the filming of the movie. Instruments were improvised—for instance a portable amplifier was used under a tree when the crew ran out of gas while 20km (12 miles) outside of Agadez. The film will be released in January.

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