Dahomey
- 2024
- 1h 8min
El viaje de 26 tesoros reales expoliados del Reino de Dahomey, expuestos en París, que ahora se devuelven a Benín. Diop expresa artísticamente las reivindicaciones de una nueva generación.El viaje de 26 tesoros reales expoliados del Reino de Dahomey, expuestos en París, que ahora se devuelven a Benín. Diop expresa artísticamente las reivindicaciones de una nueva generación.El viaje de 26 tesoros reales expoliados del Reino de Dahomey, expuestos en París, que ahora se devuelven a Benín. Diop expresa artísticamente las reivindicaciones de una nueva generación.
- Dirección
- Guionistas
- Elenco
- Premios
- 13 premios ganados y 50 nominaciones en total
- Dirección
- Guionistas
- Todo el elenco y el equipo
- Producción, taquilla y más en IMDbPro
Opiniones destacadas
I am now perfectly aware that more countries acted similarly in their colonies. In hindsight I should have known better: names like Ivory Coast and Gold Coast are given for a reason to some parts of Africa. Since then, it stayed on my radar, knowing that the inhabitants at the time were not properly paid for those locally made handicraft, nor for mining materials coming out of their soil. Since then, I see contemporary movements to return those artifacts to the original countries, things I was less aware of before.
(Along the same line are parallel movements to offer excuses for past misdeeds around grabbing men and women from African countries, shipping them under harsh circumstances over the ocean, and letting them work under even so harsh conditions without proper pay. It seems a different matter, but it comes forth from a similar abuse of power over former colonies, accompanied by a condescending attitude against other races, and supported by the church, e.g. Pope Nicolaas V writing Dum Diversas in1452.)
It is easy to blindly applaud the return journey of 26 artefacts, going back from Paris to Benin (as the country is called nowadays). This is what we witness in the first half of the documentary. Rather than applauding France's generosity to facilitate this return journey, the 2nd half of this movie shows that it is by far not the last word. Firstly, there is the fact that merely 26 artefacts are just a small fraction of the thousands taken away in past centuries.
Secondly, there is much more to it, like their native languages and cultures that were "stolen" in the past, by actively suppressing all dialects and forcing everyone to speak French, the language of the ruling colonial country France. The current generation in Benin demonstrates this in open discussions on the matters at hand.
All in all, this movie is a welcome contribution to our social perception, at least to mine. It worked for me as an eye opener, broadening the scope of how we utilized our colonies, not only by taking away their natural riches but also by suppressing their local culture.
Dahomey raises important questions about cultural assimilation and the wounds of colonialism that remain open in many cultures exploited by European powers that shield themselves from responsibility in a society that does not care much about the impact of the exploitation of first world countries on the rest of the world.
Despite the short duration, the dense theme makes the experience a little longer than it seems, but this discomfort is necessary.
The film captures very well how artifacts from our culture tell our story.
Listening to Beninese talk about the significance of gaining these pieces back and all of the relics still in France was the meatiest part of this film and the most engaging for me. Often, I feel that a unsubstantial film could be edited for improvement. In this case, I feel that a lot of substance could have been added.
Contrary to some critiques here, the final scene with the discussions by the students was everything else than boring. The question is: what is the truth behind their assertions 'Only some dozens have been brought back, but there were thousands robbed'? I assume, the majour works have been returned.
As a viewer from Europe, I felt a slight lack of explanation about what modern Benin is like beyond its capital, which would have helped form an opinion on the discussions presented by the Beninese in the film. However, it's clear that the filmmaker did not set out to provide a comprehensive overview of the country's current state.
¿Sabías que…?
- TriviaOfficial submission of Senegal for the 'Best International Feature Film' category of the 97th Academy Awards in 2025.
- Citas
[first lines]
Voice of Artifact #26: As far back as I can go, there has never been a night so deep and opaque. Here, it is the only possible reality. The beginning and the end. I journeyed so long in my mind but it was so dark in this foreign place that I lost myself in my dreams, becoming one with these walls. Cut off from the land of my birth as if I were dead. There are thousands of us in this night. We all bear the same scars. Uprooted. Ripped out. The spoils of massive plundering. Today, it's me they have chosen like their finest and most legitimate victim! They have named me 26. Not 24. Not 25. Not 30. Just 26.
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Detalles
Taquilla
- Total en EE. UU. y Canadá
- USD 100,959
- Fin de semana de estreno en EE. UU. y Canadá
- USD 25,960
- 27 oct 2024
- Total a nivel mundial
- USD 593,052
- Tiempo de ejecución1 hora 8 minutos
- Color
- Mezcla de sonido
- Relación de aspecto
- 1.78 : 1