Touki bouki is a masterpiece of modernist postcolonial cinema. Djibril Diop Mambéty's debut film tells the story of two lovers. Mory and Anta are desperate to escape from the capital of Senegal, Dakar, to the romanticized Paris, where they hope to find freedom. Their plan is thwarted by practical and mystical obstacles. Mambéty tells this story using a visionary cinematic language, unconventional editing, and dark humor. This is a testament to his determination to tell African stories in new ways. The director has said about "Touki bouki" that it was like making fun of himself, of the attachment of Africans to Europe, which makes them feel alien in their own countries.
World Film Fund 2008 restored at the Cinematheque of Bologna (L'Immagine Ritrovata) together with the family of Djibril Diop Mambéty. The restoration was supported by Armani, Cartier, Qatar Airways and Qatar Museum Authority.
SO ON: TO SENEGAL is a four-film program co-curated with director Ramata-Toulaye Sy, including Sy's directorial debut. The characters in Banelė ir Adama, Touki bouki and Atlantes yearn to change the status quo, seeking freedom from the circumstances that constrain them. They are stopped by the ocean, by invisible forces, or by the demands of tradition. These are stories about young people and their hopes. And Mati Diop's film "A Thousand Suns" reflects life and the state when those hopes and expectations fade in the course of time or are faced with insurmountable challenges. Combining realistic and magical depictions, the films reveal different sides of Senegal and allow you to feel the deep experiences of its inhabitants.