Banel & Adama

With stunning cinematography and outstanding performances, Banel & Adama tells a tale of young love and self-assertion.

Banel and Adama live in a remote village in Senegal. They have been married for a year and are deeply in love with each other. After Adama's brother passes away, it is expected that he will assume the role of the village chief. Combined with the village's traditions, this presents significant challenges for the young couple. Myths, superstitions, and local folklore surface when a drought sets in, livestock begins to die, and a catastrophic sandstorm may be heading towards the village.

Lasse Skagen

Director

Ramata-Toulaye Sy is a French-Senegalese director and screenwriter who was born and raised in the France. She studied screenwriting at La Fémis, the largest film school in France, graduating in 2015. Sy was a screenwriter on Sibel (2018) by Guillaume Giovanetti and Çagla Zencirci and Our Lady of the Nile (2019) by Atiq Rahimi, among other projects. In 2020, she shot her first short film, Astel, which was screened at more than 80 festivals. Banel & Adama is her first feature film.

This film is part of