Exclusive: After clinching the Grand Prix at Cannes in 2019 with her debut fiction feature Atlantics, French-Senegalese filmmaker Mati Diop had one burning desire.
“My dream was to set up a film school in Dakar,” she tells Deadline.
Diop made history that year in Cannes as the first Black woman to compete in the festival’s official competition. She clocked a similar milestone in February when she became the first Black filmmaker to win Berlin’s Golden Bear with the inventive documentary Dahomey.
Borrowing its name from the ancient West African kingdom of Dahomey, located in the south of today’s Republic of Benin, the doc opens in November 2021 as twenty-six royal treasures from the former Kingdom are about to leave Paris to return to their country of origin. Along with thousands of others, the artifacts were plundered by French colonial troops in 1892.
Dahomey is Diop’s second feature project and the first from Fanta Sy,...
“My dream was to set up a film school in Dakar,” she tells Deadline.
Diop made history that year in Cannes as the first Black woman to compete in the festival’s official competition. She clocked a similar milestone in February when she became the first Black filmmaker to win Berlin’s Golden Bear with the inventive documentary Dahomey.
Borrowing its name from the ancient West African kingdom of Dahomey, located in the south of today’s Republic of Benin, the doc opens in November 2021 as twenty-six royal treasures from the former Kingdom are about to leave Paris to return to their country of origin. Along with thousands of others, the artifacts were plundered by French colonial troops in 1892.
Dahomey is Diop’s second feature project and the first from Fanta Sy,...
- 5/9/2024
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
“Dahomey,” the Berlinale Golden Bear-winning film helmed by French-Senegalese director Mati Diop, has been sold to a raft of international territories by Les Films du Losange.
Along with being acquired by Mubi in key markets, “Dahomey” has been acquired in Australia & New Zealand (Rialto), China (Hugoeast), Spain (Filmin), Portugal (Nitrato Filmes), Greece (One From the Heart), Scandinavia (NonStop Entertainement), Benelux (Cinéart), Bulgaria (Beta Films), Ex-Yugoslavia (Discovery), Hungary (Mozinet), Czech Republic (Film Europe), Romania (Voodoo), Baltic Countries (Taip Toliau), Poland (New Horizons), Ukraine (Kyivmusicfilm), Taiwan (Joint Entertainment), Indonesia (Pt Falcon) and Sudu Connexion in Africa.
“Dahomey” was previously acquired by Mubi for North America, Latin America, U.K., Italy, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, India and Turkey. Les Films du Losange is currently negotiating more international sales deals and will distribute the film in theaters in France.
Weaving fantasy and documentary, “Dahomey” explores the issue of colonization through the story of precious...
Along with being acquired by Mubi in key markets, “Dahomey” has been acquired in Australia & New Zealand (Rialto), China (Hugoeast), Spain (Filmin), Portugal (Nitrato Filmes), Greece (One From the Heart), Scandinavia (NonStop Entertainement), Benelux (Cinéart), Bulgaria (Beta Films), Ex-Yugoslavia (Discovery), Hungary (Mozinet), Czech Republic (Film Europe), Romania (Voodoo), Baltic Countries (Taip Toliau), Poland (New Horizons), Ukraine (Kyivmusicfilm), Taiwan (Joint Entertainment), Indonesia (Pt Falcon) and Sudu Connexion in Africa.
“Dahomey” was previously acquired by Mubi for North America, Latin America, U.K., Italy, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, India and Turkey. Les Films du Losange is currently negotiating more international sales deals and will distribute the film in theaters in France.
Weaving fantasy and documentary, “Dahomey” explores the issue of colonization through the story of precious...
- 3/26/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Mubi has acquired Mati Diop’s Berlin Competition entry Dahomey for North America, UK & Ireland, Latin America, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Turkey and India.
‘Dahomey’: Berlin Review
Mubi plans a late 2024 release for Diop’s second feature and follow-up to her breakout 2019 Cannes Grand Prix winner Atlantics, which became Senegal’s Oscar submission and made the shortlist.
Dahomey takes place in November 2021 and chronicles the repatriation of 26 plundered royal treasures of the Kingdom of Dahomey to moder-day Benin more than 130 years after they were plundered by French colonial forces.
Eve Robin and Judith Lou Levy of France’s Les Films Du Bal produced,...
‘Dahomey’: Berlin Review
Mubi plans a late 2024 release for Diop’s second feature and follow-up to her breakout 2019 Cannes Grand Prix winner Atlantics, which became Senegal’s Oscar submission and made the shortlist.
Dahomey takes place in November 2021 and chronicles the repatriation of 26 plundered royal treasures of the Kingdom of Dahomey to moder-day Benin more than 130 years after they were plundered by French colonial forces.
Eve Robin and Judith Lou Levy of France’s Les Films Du Bal produced,...
- 2/23/2024
- ScreenDaily
Mubi has bought “Dahomey,” a highlight of this year’s Berlinale competition and directed by Cannes prizewinner Mati Diop (“Atlantics”), for North America, Latin America, U.K., Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Turkey and India.
The feature film is represented in international markets by Films du Losange, which negotiated the deal with Mubi. “Dahomey” marks the sophomore outing of Diop, a French-Senegalese talent who is considered one of the leading figures in international arthouse cinema and of a new wave in African and diasporic cinema. Her feature debut, “Atlantics,” won the Grand Prize at Cannes in 2019, and went to win the Nation Board of Review Award, as well as nominations for a Critics Choice Award and Director’s Guild Award.
In “Dahomey,” Diop explores the issue of colonization through the story of precious artworks restituted to their country of origin, the present-day Republic of Benin after being plundered, along with thousands of others,...
The feature film is represented in international markets by Films du Losange, which negotiated the deal with Mubi. “Dahomey” marks the sophomore outing of Diop, a French-Senegalese talent who is considered one of the leading figures in international arthouse cinema and of a new wave in African and diasporic cinema. Her feature debut, “Atlantics,” won the Grand Prize at Cannes in 2019, and went to win the Nation Board of Review Award, as well as nominations for a Critics Choice Award and Director’s Guild Award.
In “Dahomey,” Diop explores the issue of colonization through the story of precious artworks restituted to their country of origin, the present-day Republic of Benin after being plundered, along with thousands of others,...
- 2/23/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy and Alex Ritman
- Variety Film + TV
“The first shape I had in mind for this film was fiction,” filmmaker Mati Diop told a Berlin Film Festival presser this morning when quizzed on the structure of her inventive documentary Dahomey.
The doc — which screens in the Berlinale competition this afternoon — borrows its name from the former West African kingdom of Dahomey, located in the south of today’s Republic of Benin. It was founded in the 17th century by King Houegbadja. Under his reign and that of his descendants — a three-century dynasty — the kingdom was a considerable regional power, with a highly structured local economy, a centralized administration, a system of taxes, and a powerful army, including the famous Amazon women (Agodjié).
Diop’s film opens in November 2021 as twenty-six royal treasures from the former Kingdom are about to leave Paris to return to their country of origin. Along with thousands of others, these artifacts were plundered...
The doc — which screens in the Berlinale competition this afternoon — borrows its name from the former West African kingdom of Dahomey, located in the south of today’s Republic of Benin. It was founded in the 17th century by King Houegbadja. Under his reign and that of his descendants — a three-century dynasty — the kingdom was a considerable regional power, with a highly structured local economy, a centralized administration, a system of taxes, and a powerful army, including the famous Amazon women (Agodjié).
Diop’s film opens in November 2021 as twenty-six royal treasures from the former Kingdom are about to leave Paris to return to their country of origin. Along with thousands of others, these artifacts were plundered...
- 2/18/2024
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Memento International has boarded “Arenas,” Camille Perton’s feature debut set in the world of professional soccer, starring Édgar Ramírez (“Carlos”), Iliès Kadri (“Nobody’s Hero”), Sofian Khammes (“November”) and Lorenzo Zurzolo (“Eo”).
Now in post-production, the film shot across Lyon, Monaco, Nice and Baku in Azerbaijan. Memento International will kick off sales at the Unifrance Rendez-Vous showcase in Paris next week.
The film follows Brahim, a rising soccer star who is about to sign his first contract at his prestigious hometown club. But when a mysterious and powerful agent disrupts the negotiations, Brahim discovers the shady side of the business. Torn between loyalty and money, he will engage in a race against time to claim his destiny.
“Arenas” is produced by Eve Robin and Judith Lou Lévy for Les Films du Bal, the ambitious independent company behind Mati Diop’s Cannes prizewinner “Atlantics,” “Ahed’s Knee” by Nadav Lapid and the...
Now in post-production, the film shot across Lyon, Monaco, Nice and Baku in Azerbaijan. Memento International will kick off sales at the Unifrance Rendez-Vous showcase in Paris next week.
The film follows Brahim, a rising soccer star who is about to sign his first contract at his prestigious hometown club. But when a mysterious and powerful agent disrupts the negotiations, Brahim discovers the shady side of the business. Torn between loyalty and money, he will engage in a race against time to claim his destiny.
“Arenas” is produced by Eve Robin and Judith Lou Lévy for Les Films du Bal, the ambitious independent company behind Mati Diop’s Cannes prizewinner “Atlantics,” “Ahed’s Knee” by Nadav Lapid and the...
- 1/8/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
An edgy new voice within the world of French genre, Adrien Beau worked as a designer and scenographer for the likes of Dior, John Galliano and Agnes B before making his feature debut with the offbeat vampire movie “Vourdalak.”
Produced by Judith-Lou Levy at Les Films du Bal, “Vourdalak” will world premiere at Venice Critics’ Week and will likely be one of its boldest entries. At a time when horror has become a mainstream genre overloaded with special effects, “Vourdalak” couldn’t be more radical. Lensed in Super 16, the film’s central character is a vampire patriarch named Gorcha, played by a marionette that Beau operates and lends his voice to.
In an interview with Variety ahead of the festival, Beau says he got the idea for the film after he and Levy came across “La Famille du Vourdalak,” a strange vampire novella penned by Alexeï Konstantinovitch Tolstoï, published in...
Produced by Judith-Lou Levy at Les Films du Bal, “Vourdalak” will world premiere at Venice Critics’ Week and will likely be one of its boldest entries. At a time when horror has become a mainstream genre overloaded with special effects, “Vourdalak” couldn’t be more radical. Lensed in Super 16, the film’s central character is a vampire patriarch named Gorcha, played by a marionette that Beau operates and lends his voice to.
In an interview with Variety ahead of the festival, Beau says he got the idea for the film after he and Levy came across “La Famille du Vourdalak,” a strange vampire novella penned by Alexeï Konstantinovitch Tolstoï, published in...
- 7/28/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
French cinema professionals from across the country’s independent production, distribution and exhibition chain flocked to an emergency general convention in Paris this week to raise the alarm over the future of their industry.
France has long prided itself on being the most cinephile country on the planet, but there is a growing sense among its indie cinema sector that the population has fallen out of love with the seventh art in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Figures released by the National Cinema Centre (Cnc) last week revealed the worst September box office for the country in 42 years, with 7.38 million entries, for a rough box office of 47m, representing a 20.7 drop on September 2021, and a 34.3 fall on the same month in 2019.
Admissions for the first nine months of 2022 are currently trailing 30 below the average for the same period from 2017-2019. September’s drop was due in part to a lack of big U.
France has long prided itself on being the most cinephile country on the planet, but there is a growing sense among its indie cinema sector that the population has fallen out of love with the seventh art in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Figures released by the National Cinema Centre (Cnc) last week revealed the worst September box office for the country in 42 years, with 7.38 million entries, for a rough box office of 47m, representing a 20.7 drop on September 2021, and a 34.3 fall on the same month in 2019.
Admissions for the first nine months of 2022 are currently trailing 30 below the average for the same period from 2017-2019. September’s drop was due in part to a lack of big U.
- 10/7/2022
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Grappling with free-falling theatrical admissions and misplaced blame by exhibitors on so-called “auteur” movies, the leading lights of the French film industry sounded the alarm about the state of the country’s cinema sector during a dramatic and emotional conference.
The jam-packed event on Thursday, called Appel aux Etats Generaux (Call for General Assemblies), was organized by some of France’s most established producers including Saïd Ben Saïd, Judith Lou Levy and Philippe Carcassone, who work frequently with directors Paul Verhoeven, Mati Diop and Florian Zeller, respectively.
The conference was held at the Institut du Monde Arabe, a cultural venue headed by Jack Lang, who served as minister of culture throughout the 1980s. Nearly 800 people attended the event, including members of the independent distributors guild (Dire) and the directors guild Srf, the governing body of Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight.
Filmmakers, producers, distributors, arthouse exhibitors and crew members took the stage to...
The jam-packed event on Thursday, called Appel aux Etats Generaux (Call for General Assemblies), was organized by some of France’s most established producers including Saïd Ben Saïd, Judith Lou Levy and Philippe Carcassone, who work frequently with directors Paul Verhoeven, Mati Diop and Florian Zeller, respectively.
The conference was held at the Institut du Monde Arabe, a cultural venue headed by Jack Lang, who served as minister of culture throughout the 1980s. Nearly 800 people attended the event, including members of the independent distributors guild (Dire) and the directors guild Srf, the governing body of Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight.
Filmmakers, producers, distributors, arthouse exhibitors and crew members took the stage to...
- 10/7/2022
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
The 20 producers will take part in a five-day programme on the 19-23 May at the festival
The producers of Cannes competition title Ahed’s Knee and César-nominated animation Even Mice Belong In Heaven are among those selected for European Film Production’s (Efp) networking platform Producers On The Move.
The 20 producers will take part in an in-person five-day programme running May 19-23 at the Cannes Film Festival, as well as an online pre-festival programme of speed meetings, roundtables and pitching sessions.
Among this year’s selection is Judith Lou Lévy, who produced Nadav Lapid’s Ahed’s Knee, which won the jury...
The producers of Cannes competition title Ahed’s Knee and César-nominated animation Even Mice Belong In Heaven are among those selected for European Film Production’s (Efp) networking platform Producers On The Move.
The 20 producers will take part in an in-person five-day programme running May 19-23 at the Cannes Film Festival, as well as an online pre-festival programme of speed meetings, roundtables and pitching sessions.
Among this year’s selection is Judith Lou Lévy, who produced Nadav Lapid’s Ahed’s Knee, which won the jury...
- 5/4/2022
- by Ellie Calnan
- ScreenDaily
Nadav Lapid was used to mining the past. With 2014’s “The Kindergarten Teacher,” he worked childhood poems into the script, while basing his Berlinale winning follow-up, “Synonyms,” on his early days in France after leaving Israel.
But with “Ahed’s Knee,” which premieres on July 7 in competition at Cannes, the filmmaker confronted uncharted terrain: his present day.
“This movie was one trembling gesture of urgency and movement — a kind of ode to the present, to the here and now,” Lapid said. “It took me two-weeks-and-a-half to write the script, whereas ‘Synonyms’ took me over a year. More than any other of my movies, this one is one unbroken gesture; it’s one movement, one brushstroke.”
Lapid poured his professional, political, and personal misgivings into the livewire film, which follows a filmmaker over the course of one day as he struggles with his mother’s imminent death while dealing with government officials hostile to his work.
But with “Ahed’s Knee,” which premieres on July 7 in competition at Cannes, the filmmaker confronted uncharted terrain: his present day.
“This movie was one trembling gesture of urgency and movement — a kind of ode to the present, to the here and now,” Lapid said. “It took me two-weeks-and-a-half to write the script, whereas ‘Synonyms’ took me over a year. More than any other of my movies, this one is one unbroken gesture; it’s one movement, one brushstroke.”
Lapid poured his professional, political, and personal misgivings into the livewire film, which follows a filmmaker over the course of one day as he struggles with his mother’s imminent death while dealing with government officials hostile to his work.
- 7/8/2021
- by Ben Croll
- Variety Film + TV
Netflix acquired the worldwide rights to two films that played at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, Mati Diop’s “Atlantics,” which played in competition, and Jérémy Clapin’s animated film “I Lost My Body,” which won the top prize from the Cannes Critics’ Week sidebar of the festival, the streamer announced Saturday.
For “Atlantics,” Netflix acquired worldwide rights excluding China, Benelux, Switzerland, Russia and France, but it has subscription video on demand (SVoD) rights for 36 months following its theatrical release in France, Benelux and Switzerland. For “I Lost My Body, Netflix acquired worldwide excluding China, Benelux, Turkey and France, but also has SVoD rights for 36 months following its theatrical in France, an individual with knowledge told TheWrap.
Diop’s “Atlantics” played in competition and, on Saturday, was awarded the Grand Prix prize from the jury led by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu. Diop made her feature directorial debut on the film...
For “Atlantics,” Netflix acquired worldwide rights excluding China, Benelux, Switzerland, Russia and France, but it has subscription video on demand (SVoD) rights for 36 months following its theatrical release in France, Benelux and Switzerland. For “I Lost My Body, Netflix acquired worldwide excluding China, Benelux, Turkey and France, but also has SVoD rights for 36 months following its theatrical in France, an individual with knowledge told TheWrap.
Diop’s “Atlantics” played in competition and, on Saturday, was awarded the Grand Prix prize from the jury led by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu. Diop made her feature directorial debut on the film...
- 5/25/2019
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Netflix has scooped up the global rights to Cannes Grand Prix Winner Atlantics from female director Mati Diop and the Cannes Critics’ Week Award Winner I Lost My Body from Xilam Animation. That pic reps director Jérémy Clapin’s Animated Feature Debut.
For Atlantics, the deal doesn’t include China, Benelux, Switzerland, Russia, France, while I Lost My Body excludes China, Benelux, Turkey, France. Atlantics was sold by Fionnuala Jamison at mk2 films. I Lost My Body was sold by Carole Baraton at Charades
Atlantics reps Diop’s feature directorial debut and takes place in Dakar along the Atlantic Coast. Seventeen-year-old Ada is in love with Souleiman, a young construction worker. But she has been promised to another man. One night, Souleiman and his co-workers leave the country by sea, in hopes of a better future. Several days later, a fire ruins Ada’s wedding and a mysterious fever starts to spread.
For Atlantics, the deal doesn’t include China, Benelux, Switzerland, Russia, France, while I Lost My Body excludes China, Benelux, Turkey, France. Atlantics was sold by Fionnuala Jamison at mk2 films. I Lost My Body was sold by Carole Baraton at Charades
Atlantics reps Diop’s feature directorial debut and takes place in Dakar along the Atlantic Coast. Seventeen-year-old Ada is in love with Souleiman, a young construction worker. But she has been promised to another man. One night, Souleiman and his co-workers leave the country by sea, in hopes of a better future. Several days later, a fire ruins Ada’s wedding and a mysterious fever starts to spread.
- 5/25/2019
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Mati Diop, niece of the late, great Senegalese cinema pioneer Djibril Diop Mambéty — director of African cinema classics “Touki Bouki” and “Hyènes” — makes her feature film directorial debut with “Atlantiques,” which will world premiere at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival. She is the first black woman with a film in the 72-year-old festival’s Competition section, and stands to be one of the biggest breakouts at Cannes this year.
Previously titled “Fire Next Time” (although not based on James Baldwin’s famous essay collection of the same name), the film is in rare company. Currently, Diop and Malian filmmaker Ladj Ly are the only filmmakers of African descent represented in competition at Cannes this year.
Diop is the daughter of Senegalese jazz musician Wasis Diop, but cinephiles will likely be more familiar with her filmmaker uncle. She first received attention from international critics and cinema enthusiasts for her work as an...
Previously titled “Fire Next Time” (although not based on James Baldwin’s famous essay collection of the same name), the film is in rare company. Currently, Diop and Malian filmmaker Ladj Ly are the only filmmakers of African descent represented in competition at Cannes this year.
Diop is the daughter of Senegalese jazz musician Wasis Diop, but cinephiles will likely be more familiar with her filmmaker uncle. She first received attention from international critics and cinema enthusiasts for her work as an...
- 4/18/2019
- by Tambay Obenson
- Indiewire
Fire Next Time (La Prochaine fois le feu)
The highest ranking directorial debut on our countup, actress Mati Diop moves behind the camera in her long-gestating project, The Fire Next Time (which is not an adaptation of the famous James Baldwin novel), a title she has been working on since 2012. The film is produced by Judith Lou Lévy and Eve Robin of Les Films du Bal and co-produced by Arte France Cinema, Senegal’s Cinekap, and Belgium’s Frakas Productions. Known for her debut in Claire Denis’ exceptional 2008 film 35 Shots of Rum, as well as co-starring alongside Brady Corbet in the morbid Antonio Campos film Simon Killer (we interviewed her in Park City), she’s also racked up credits with Matias Pineiro and Benjamin Crotty.…...
The highest ranking directorial debut on our countup, actress Mati Diop moves behind the camera in her long-gestating project, The Fire Next Time (which is not an adaptation of the famous James Baldwin novel), a title she has been working on since 2012. The film is produced by Judith Lou Lévy and Eve Robin of Les Films du Bal and co-produced by Arte France Cinema, Senegal’s Cinekap, and Belgium’s Frakas Productions. Known for her debut in Claire Denis’ exceptional 2008 film 35 Shots of Rum, as well as co-starring alongside Brady Corbet in the morbid Antonio Campos film Simon Killer (we interviewed her in Park City), she’s also racked up credits with Matias Pineiro and Benjamin Crotty.…...
- 1/3/2019
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
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