Director Abderrahmane Sissako during a photo call for Timbuktu at the 67th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Thursday, May 15, 2014. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Director Abderrahmane Sissako, right, and actress Toulou Kiki during a photo call for Timbuktu at the 67th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Thursday, May 15, 2014. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Director Abderrahmane Sissako during a photo call for Timbuktu at the 67th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Thursday, May 15, 2014. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

(From L) Tunisian actor Hichem Yacoubi, Mauritanian director Abderrahmane Sissako and Niger actress Toulou Kiki pose during a photocall for the film "Timbuktu" at the 67th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 15, 2014. AFP PHOTO / LOIC VENANCE

Niger actress Toulou Kiki (L) and Tunisian-born actor Abel Jafri pose during a photocall for the film "Timbuktu" at the 67th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 15, 2014. AFP PHOTO / LOIC VENANCE

Niger actress Toulou Kiki (L) and Tunisian-born actor Abel Jafri pose during a photocall for the film "Timbuktu" at the 67th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 15, 2014. AFP PHOTO / LOIC VENANCE

(From L) Niger actress Toulou Kiki, Tunisian-born actor Abel Jafri and Malian musician and actor Pino Desperado (Ibrahim Ahmed) pose during a photocall for the film "Timbuktu" at the 67th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 15, 2014. AFP PHOTO / LOIC VENANCE

Mauritanian director Abderrahmane Sissako (R) and co-screenwriter Kessen Tall pose during a photocall for the film "Timbuktu" at the 67th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 15, 2014. AFP PHOTO / LOIC VENANCE

Mauritanian director Abderrahmane Sissako poses during a photocall for his film "Timbuktu" at the 67th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 15, 2014. AFP PHOTO / LOIC VENANCE

Mauritanian director Abderrahmane Sissako poses during a photocall for his film "Timbuktu" at the 67th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 15, 2014. AFP PHOTO / LOIC VENANCE

Malian musician and actor Pino Desperado (Ibrahim Ahmed) poses during a photocall for the film "Timbuktu" at the 67th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 15, 2014. AFP PHOTO / LOIC VENANCE

Niger actress Toulou Kiki poses during a photocall for the film "Timbuktu" at the 67th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 15, 2014. AFP PHOTO / LOIC VENANCE

Tunisian-born actor Abel Jafri poses during a photocall for the film "Timbuktu" at the 67th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 15, 2014. AFP PHOTO / LOIC VENANCE

Mauritanian director Abderrahmane Sissako poses during a photocall for his film "Timbuktu" at the 67th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 15, 2014. AFP PHOTO / BERTRAND LANGLOIS

Co-screenwriter Kessen Tall poses during a photocall for the film "Timbuktu" at the 67th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 15, 2014. AFP PHOTO / BERTRAND LANGLOIS

Director Abderrahmane Sissako at a photocall for the film 'Timbuktu' presented in competition as part of the 67th Cannes International Film Festival, at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, southern France on May 15, 2014. Photo by Nicolas Genin/ABACAPRESS.COM

Director Abderrahmane Sissako at a photocall for the film 'Timbuktu' presented in competition as part of the 67th Cannes International Film Festival, at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, southern France on May 15, 2014. Photo by Nicolas Genin/ABACAPRESS.COM

Ibrahim Ahmed dit Pino, Toulou Kiki and Abel Jafri at a photocall for the film 'Timbuktu' presented in competition as part of the 67th Cannes International Film Festival, at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, southern France on May 15, 2014. Photo by Nicolas Genin/ABACAPRESS.COM at a photocall for the film 'Timbuktu' presented in competition as part of the 67th Cannes International Film Festival, at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, southern France on May 15, 2014. Photo by Nicolas Genin/ABACAPRESS.COM

Director Abderrahmane Sissako, Ibrahim Ahmed dit Pino, Toulou Kiki, Abel Jafri and Hichem Yacoubi at a photocall for the film 'Timbuktu' presented in competition as part of the 67th Cannes International Film Festival, at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, southern France on May 15, 2014. Photo by Nicolas Genin/ABACAPRESS.COM