V E N T N O R   F I L M  S O C I E T Y​​

 

In a remote village in Senegal, Banel and Adama are fiercely in love, and for them, nothing else in the world exists; however, their perfect love is at odds with their families' traditions. The lovers carve a life for themselves beyond conventional expectations. Banel is something of a female rights activist for herself: she's ambitious, rebellious, and strong and sees a future beyond motherhood, whilst Adama is perhaps more used to conforming to custom.

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In addition, the village is facing a climate crisis with cattle dying in the scorching heat, and food and water scarce. The villagers place their faith in a Muslim prayer, but many place the blame for the worsening situation on the troublesome woman, Benal. This haunting, poetic fable is wonderfully photographed and powerfully acted. The film brings up a lot of modern topical issues regardless of the fact that the village community is firmly rooted in old times.

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To book, please email ventnorfilmsociety@hotmail.com.

 

 

The Critics Say...

“It’s a remarkable performance from Mane, who conveys the mutinous, deluded anger in a young woman who would bend the world around her to her will if she could..” Wendy Ide, Screen International

 

“The directorial debut of French-Senegalese filmmaker Ramata-Toulaye Sy, this is one of those pictures to which the phrase “every frame a painting” might apply.” *** Glenn Kenny, Rogerebert.com

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"Banel & Adama is a distressingly searing love story that moves to its own rhythms, curiosities, impulses, and havoc for a shrewd picture of the heavy balance between loyalty to one’s community and devotion to each other." Robert Daniels, Okay Africa

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"With its balletic choreography of performance and statuesque visual approach, Sy’s film is a work of remarkable composition." Caitlin Quinian, Little White Lies

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