The return of the prodigal son to a corrupted homeland is a theme found in many Third World cinemas, but in Saaraba it is developed with subtle insights and ironic twists unique to the African experience. The title refers to the Wolof concept of Utopia, a mythical paradise on earth free from the miseries and contradictions of daily life; Seck uses it as a central metaphor, applicable in some way to each of his characters. The story centers on Tamsir, who returns to Dakar after 17 years abroad to find "you can't go home again," equally alienated as he is by corruption in government and the backwardness of village mores. His quest for Saaraba ultimately leads him to a working definition of the word, in the here-and-now.