AllMovie

Directed by Amadou Thior, Almodou is an understated tale of a small boy, Modou (Doudou Guillaume Faye), who rebels against his cruel religious guardian. Street-smart but endearing, Modou trades his stolen sugar and rice for cash, hoping to save enough money to be able to visit his mother and inform her that the man he was sent to study the Koran with has actually forced him into a beggar gang. This is apparently a common practice, for Modou has many fellow "students". Unfortunately, the rest of the students are too scared to rebel with Modou, and go so far as to lecture him on the virtrues of blind obediance. Modou does find allies in some progressively minded adults, though he doesn't get his big chance until a winning sweepstakes ticket sends a much richer Modou back to his mother's village.