“Dahomey” by Mati Diop : Restitution or Reclamation?
With Dahomey, Mati Diop delivers a distinctive documentary that questions colonial history and collective memory through art. Awarded the Golden Bear at the 2024 Berlinale, this hybrid film blends documentary and fiction to recount the restitution of twenty-six royal treasures to Benin, a country formerly known as Dahomey.
Why Soundtrack to a Coup d’État by Johan Grimonprez deserves all the acclaim ?
Jazz plays a pivotal role in the film’s narrative. Grimonprez elevates this iconic genre, using it as a voice for both history and resistance.
The music of figures like Louis Armstrong and Max Roach becomes more than a soundtrack; it is a powerful witness to a complex struggle, recounting the story of Congo’s liberation with haunting rhythm and intensity. Jazz is transformed under Grimonprez’s lens into a cry for memory, solidarity, and resilience.