Dahomey

French-Senegalese director Mati Diop's short but powerful hybrid-documentary, Dahomey, covers the repatriation of 26 national antiquities plundered by colonial powers from the former Dahomey Kingdom (1600-1904), currently the Republic of Benin.

Among November 2022's returned artifacts by the Parisian Musée du Quai Branly is the towering wooden statue of the 1800s ruler King Ghézo, the half-shark-half-man statue of King Behanzin, Dahomey's last king, and a carved ornate throne depicting images of Dahomey's enslavement of their conquered enemies as well as their trans-atlantic slave trade. 

Voice-overs, such as that of King Ghézo speaking in the ancient Fon language about his memories of Africa, colonialism and self-determination, reflect the culturally based view of the artifact's living nature. Providing depth to the animation, are the mystic sounds by Haitian poet and novelist Makenzy Orcel, with the aid of sound designers Nicolas Becker, Corneille Houssou and Cyril Holtz. 

Director of Photography Josephine Drouin Viallard meticulously captures the cataloguing and packing of the artworks, as well as their welcomed arrival to the Palais de la Marina, in the presidential residence. Highlighting the artwork's return, its cultural implications and the need for restitution of the remaining 7,000 items around the world, is a well staged panel discussion at the University of Abomey-Calavi. 

Dahomey, is the Golden Bear recepient at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival, as well as Senegal's entry for Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academiy Awards.