Kirikou and the Sorceress 2000

In a quaint West African village, a remarkable boy named Kirikou is born, exhibiting extraordinary abilities as he can speak before entering the world and walks the moment he is born. Upon learning from his mother about the malevolent sorceress, Karaba, who has caused their spring to dry up and has devoured all the village’s men except for one, Kirikou takes it upon himself to join his last remaining warrior uncle in a bold mission to confront her.

Utilizing cleverness, Kirikou tricks the sorceress and rescues his uncle by cleverly hiding in his uncle’s hat, making her believe it possesses magical powers. His bravery doesn’t stop there; he saves the village’s children from being captured in both the sorceress’s boat and a monstrous tree. Moreover, he defeats the creature responsible for drinking up all the village’s water, winning the trust and admiration of the once-skept villagers. With the guidance of his mother and assistance from several animals, Kirikou cunningly evades Karaba’s watchmen and embarks on a daring journey to a forbidden mountain to consult his wise old grandfather regarding the sorceress.

His grandfather reveals a shocking truth: Karaba’s cruelty stems from a poisoned thorn lodged in her back, causing her immense pain while granting her formidable power. Armed with this knowledge, Kirikou formulates a plan to retrieve the sorceress’s stolen gold, which he uses as bait to lure her into a trap. By cleverly extracting the thorn from her back, he not only alleviates her suffering but also earns a kiss from Karaba, which magically transforms him into an adult.

As Kirikou returns to the village alongside Karaba, the villagers are initially skeptical of her cure. However, the arrival of a procession of drummers, led by Kirikou’s grandfather, changes everything. These drummers are revealed to be the former watchmen and henchmen of the sorceress, now restored to their human forms—the very men of the village who were thought lost forever. Thus, Kirikou’s bravery and cunning lead to a remarkable transformation not just for the sorceress, but for the entire village.