Dahomey

A meditative, quietly angry essay on restitution that asks you to sit with objects and listen to the living argue about what return means.

Directed by

Mati Diop

Genres

Documentary

Starring

Lucrèce Hougbelo, Parfait Vaiayinon, Didier Sedoha Nassangade

Overview

Thousands of royal artifacts of Dahomey, a West African kingdom, were taken by French colonists in the 19th century for collection and display in Paris. Centuries later, a fraction returned to their home in modern-day Benin. This dramatized documentary follows the journey of 26 of the treasures as told by cultural art historians, embattled university students, and one of the repatriated statues himself.

How it feels

Melancholic, earnest, eerie and satirical. Slow-burning and demanding.

About

Colonialism, memory, identity, power

Content

Mild violence and language. No gore or sexual content.

Note

Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

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Watch the trailer on YouTube (opens in a new tab)