Dahomey

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1:20

Dahomey

2024

1h 8m

Documentary

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Popcornmeter

97%

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97 Reviews

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

From acclaimed filmmaker Mati Diop (Atlantics), DAHOMEY is a poetic and immersive work of art that delves into real perspectives on far-reaching issues surrounding appropriation, self-determination and restitution. Set in November 2021, the documentary charts 26 royal treasures from the Kingdom of Dahomey that are due to leave Paris and return to their country of origin: the present-day Republic of Benin. Using multiple perspectives Diop questions how these artifacts should be received in a country that has reinvented itself in their absence. Winner of the coveted Golden Bear prize at the 2024 Berlinale, DAHOMEY is an affecting though altogether singular conversation piece that is as spellbinding as it is essential.

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Critics Consensus

With a rigorous yet fantastical approach, Mati Diop's Dahomey provocatively uncovers the restitution and repatriation of a stolen legacy, and serves as a powerful statement for decolonization.

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Kelli Weston

Sight & Sound

Nov 20

Such a film yields no easy resolutions; there are none to be had. A younger generation crowds around the statues of old kings and the complicated tapestry that is their history; in them, it becomes endless.

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Carlos Aguilar

Los Angeles Times

11/05/2024

At only 68 minutes, “Dahomey” brims with plenty of perspectives on what the restitution of these ancient treasures symbolizes and the dicey political implications around it.

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Sarah-Tai Black

Globe and Mail

11/04/2024

A welcome companion to the rich textures and spirits of Diop’s lauded feature film, Atlantics, Dahomey offers itself as a site of essential reflection and a necessary reminder of the living poetics that cinema is capable of.

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Filipe Freitas

Always Good Movies

Aug 28

3/5

While the mood is striking, the narrative offers little historical depth, leaving the reigns of kings Ghezo, Glele, and Béhanzin—and the broader cultural context—underexplored.

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Marissa Hill

Shade Studios

Jul 29

If you're looking for a film that explores the return of cultural artifacts and the history behind colonial plunder, Dahomey might offer some insights, but it’s not the deep dive you might expect.

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Armond White

National Review

May 16

It is Diop’s academic background that makes Dahomey a more creditable venture in the diasporic art craze that we are currently witnessing.

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juan daniel p

Oct 23

“El arte regresa a casa con alma y conciencia” Ganadora del Oso de Oro en el Festival de Berlín 2024, Dahomey es un documental que me sorprendió y gustó mucho. Dirigido por Mati Diop, cuenta el viaje de 26 piezas arqueológicas del antiguo Reino de Dahomey, que durante años estuvieron expuestas en museos de París y finalmente regresan a su tierra de origen. A diferencia de otros documentales históricos o arqueológicos, Dahomey propone algo distinto: darle voz y vida a los objetos. Diop convierte las estatuas en narradoras de su propio destino, logrando que lo inerte cobre sentimiento. Es un enfoque poético y audaz que transforma una restitución cultural en una experiencia sensorial y emocional. El uso de la cámara refuerza esta idea, transmitiendo con sutileza el peso del pasado y la dignidad del retorno. El diseño sonoro es sobresaliente: los ecos, las respiraciones y los silencios parecen hablar tanto como las imágenes. La fotografía, aunque correcta y funcional, no busca destacar, sino acompañar el tono reflexivo del relato. La duración es justa; el documental termina exactamente dónde debe, sin sentirse lento en ningún momento. En su último tercio, Diop introduce un debate entre jóvenes estudiantes de Benín, quienes reflexionan sobre cómo la colonización marcó su identidad, su cultura y su percepción del propio valor frente a los colonizadores. En resumen, Viaje espiritual y político donde las estatuas recuperan voz y memoria; Mati Diop convierte la restitución de arte en un poema visual sobre identidad, colonización y dignidad.

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Trevor G

@dudenamedtrevor Oct 18

Powerful in every way.

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Tom F

Aug 1

The straight documentary portions are compelling enough. The decision to give voice to the relics didn’t really work for me, but I appreciate the effort to try something different.

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Matthew R

Feb 8

Pretty interesting stuff, of course asks a lot of questions regarding colonialism. I would have like to focus, or at least, dip into the history beyond the attempt to repatriate the art. The open conversation was excellent. Incredibly intelligent people.

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Daniel B

@observor 01/12/2025

If you're interested in colonialism and artifact restoration, then by all means....

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Dan D

01/05/2025

Painfully slow paced. Is it the French writer putting the words in the mouth of a Beninese artifact? Are we supposed to take that as an informed cultural perspective? The redeeming part of the work is the spirited discussion of the University students.

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Mati Diop

Director

Mati Diop

Writer

Eve Robin

Producer

Judith Lou Lévy

Producer

Mati Diop

Producer

Josephine Drouin Viallard

Cinematographer

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Dahomey: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

From acclaimed filmmaker Mati Diop (Atlantics), DAHOMEY is a poetic and immersive work of art that delves into real perspectives on far-reaching issues surrounding appropriation, self-determination and restitution. Set in November 2021, the documentary charts 26 royal treasures from the Kingdom of Dahomey that are due to leave Paris and return to their country of origin: the present-day Republic of Benin. Using multiple perspectives Diop questions how these artifacts should be received in a country that has reinvented itself in their absence. Winner of the coveted Golden Bear prize at the 2024 Berlinale, DAHOMEY is an affecting though altogether singular conversation piece that is as spellbinding as it is essential.

Director: Mati Diop
Producer: Eve Robin, Judith Lou Lévy, Mati Diop
Screenwriter: Mati Diop, Mati Diop
Distributor: MUBI
Production Co: Les Films du Bal
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: French
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 25, 2024, Limited
Box Office (Gross USA): $54.6K
Runtime: 1h 8m

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