In January 2003, a group of adventurous music lovers and musicians from western rock legend Robert Plant and big-name Malian stars like Oumou Sangare and Ali Farka Toure, to (then) lesser-known Tuareg groups like Tinariwen all trekked deep into the Sahara to take part in the third annual Festival in the Desert, a unique celebration of music and culture. Despite the star power present, what comes across most powerfully in Brouet’s atmospheric documentary is the energy of the live performances in such an extraordinary setting.

With intro and Q&A by Tinariwen manager Andy Morgan.