Dahomey
Additional Dates
Assisted Listening Devices are available upon request at the box office
Detroit Film Theatre
Follow the signs for the Theater Entrance from the parking lot.
(Senegal/Benin/France/2024—directed by Mati Diop)
In November 2021, 26 treasures stolen by French colonial troops in 1892 from the African Kingdom of Dahomey were prepared for their return to the present-day Republic of Benin. These artifacts were inspected and packed in crates in Paris, marking the beginning of their journey home.
The restitution of these artworks has ignited a rich and urgent discussion among students at the University of Abomey-Calavi. They are exploring how to view the return of these stolen artifacts in a country that has evolved significantly in their absence.
Acclaimed director Mati Diop presents this dialogue through a poetic and immersive documentary, incorporating multiple perspectives, including the imagined voice of one artwork.
The film addresses themes of colonization, appropriation, self-determination, restitution, and human creativity. Winner of the Golden Bear at the 2024 Berlin Film Festival, Dahomey is both spellbinding and essential. The film is in French, Fon, and English, with English subtitles. (68 minutes)
“A superb, potent documentary… Striking, stirring and exquisite.” –Jessica Kiang, Variety
Dahomey
Assisted Listening Devices are available upon request at the box office
Additional Dates
Detroit Film Theatre
Follow the signs for the Theater Entrance from the parking lot.
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