Film
Dahomey (PG)
Black History Month at Plymouth Arts Cinema With Support from Cornwall and Devon Creative Collective (CoDeCC CIC)
Stories shape the way in which we understand our past, present and imagine our futures. They also inform our sense of connection and identity. Black History Month 2024 focuses upon the contributions of global majority communities across the UK as storytellers, historians and custodians of cultural heritage. Written and directed by contemporary black filmmakers, these films explore the rich, complex and diverse experiences and histories of individuals and groups living in Britain and British Overseas Territories.
From acclaimed filmmaker Mati Diop (Atlantics), Dahomey is a poetic and immersive work of art that delves into real perspectives on far-reaching issues surrounding appropriation, self-determination and restitution. Set in November 2021, the documentary charts 26 royal treasures from the Kingdom of Dahomey that are due to leave Paris and return to their country of origin: the present-day Republic of Benin. Using multiple perspectives Diop questions how these artefacts should be received in a country that has reinvented itself in their absence. Winner of the coveted Golden Bear prize at the 2024 Berlinale, Dahomey is an affecting though altogether singular conversation piece that is as spellbinding as it is essential.
“Invigorating and enlivening… An interrogative reverie about colonialism, culture, the past and the present” The Guardian
“Strange, captivating and rigorously intellectual… Leaves a mighty impression” Time Out
“Electrifying… A bewitching work of speculative documentary” Sight & Sound
For detailed information about the film's age rating and content notices, you can visit the BBFC website and search the film title, then scroll down to the “Content Advice” section: www.bbfc.co.uk
Stories shape the way in which we understand our past, present and imagine our futures. They also inform our sense of connection and identity. Black History Month 2024 focuses upon the contributions of global majority communities across the UK as storytellers, historians and custodians of cultural heritage. Written and directed by contemporary black filmmakers, these films explore the rich, complex and diverse experiences and histories of individuals and groups living in Britain and British Overseas Territories.
Dahomey (PG)
Dir. Mati Diop, France/ Senegal, 2024, 68 mins. In French and English with English subtitles. With. Gildas Adannou, Habib Ahandessi, Joséa Guedje.From acclaimed filmmaker Mati Diop (Atlantics), Dahomey is a poetic and immersive work of art that delves into real perspectives on far-reaching issues surrounding appropriation, self-determination and restitution. Set in November 2021, the documentary charts 26 royal treasures from the Kingdom of Dahomey that are due to leave Paris and return to their country of origin: the present-day Republic of Benin. Using multiple perspectives Diop questions how these artefacts should be received in a country that has reinvented itself in their absence. Winner of the coveted Golden Bear prize at the 2024 Berlinale, Dahomey is an affecting though altogether singular conversation piece that is as spellbinding as it is essential.
“Invigorating and enlivening… An interrogative reverie about colonialism, culture, the past and the present” The Guardian
“Strange, captivating and rigorously intellectual… Leaves a mighty impression” Time Out
“Electrifying… A bewitching work of speculative documentary” Sight & Sound
For detailed information about the film's age rating and content notices, you can visit the BBFC website and search the film title, then scroll down to the “Content Advice” section: www.bbfc.co.uk
