Dahomey

New Directors Competition

Dahomey

Dahomey

Senegal, Benin, France 2024 Documentary cor 70 min.

November, 2021. Twenty-six royal treasures of the Kingdom of Dahomey are about to leave Paris to return to their country of origin, the present-day Republic of Benin. Along with thousands of others, these artifacts were plundered by French colonial troops in 1892. But what attitude to adopt to these ancestors’ homecoming in a country that had to forge ahead in their absence? While the soul of the artifacts is freed, debate rages among students of the University of Abomey-Calavi.

Winner of the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival.

Senegal Benin France international film festivals awarded films documentary history female directors

direction

Mati Diop

screenplay

Mati Diop

cinematography

Josephine Drouin-Viallard

editing

Gabriel Gonzalez

sound

Corneille Houssou, Cyril Holtz

sound design

Nicolas Becker

music

Wally Badarou, Dean Blunt

production

Eve Robin, Judith Lou Lévy, Mati Diop

produced by

Les Films du Bal, Fanta Sy

co-produced by

Arte France Cinéma

distribution

MUBI

indicative rating

14