Dahomey

Award-Winning Documentary ‘Dahomey’ Explores Europe’s Return of Looted Antiquities to Africa

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Berlin, Germany – “Dahomey,” a thought-provoking documentary by director Mati Diop, has won the top prize at the Berlin film festival. The film explores the complex issues surrounding the return of looted antiquities from Europe to Africa. This year’s festival, the 74th annual event, was the first to feature Lupita Nyong’o as the first black jury president. The jury chose “Dahomey” as the winner out of 20 contenders for the prestigious Golden Bear award. In her acceptance speech, Diop expressed that the prize not only honored her but also the invisible and visible community that … Read more

Berlin Film Festival 2024 Awards: Mati Diop’s ‘Dahomey’ Claims Golden Bear Prize

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Berlin, Germany – The prestigious Berlin Film Festival recently concluded, showcasing a wide selection of films to thousands of attendees. Considered one of the “big five” film festivals alongside Cannes, Venice, Toronto, and Sundance, the Berlinale is renowned for its esteemed awards, including the coveted Golden Bear. This year, Mati Diop’s documentary “Dahomey” took home the esteemed Golden Bear award, marking the second time a documentary has won this honor. The international jury also awarded the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize to Hong Sang-soo’s “A Traveler’s Needs” and the Silver Bear Jury Prize to Bruno … Read more

Dahomey: French-Senegalese Documentary Wins Golden Bear at 74th Berlin International Film Festival

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Berlin, Germany – French-Senegalese filmmaker Mati Diop’s documentary, “Dahomey,” has been awarded the Golden Bear for the best film at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival. The film explores the return of plundered royal treasures from Paris to Benin, examining the complex response of the Benin culture to the artifacts. Diop made a political statement while accepting the award, expressing solidarity with Palestine. Lupita Nyong’o, the first Black and African president of the Berlinale jury, announced the winner. “Dahomey” is the second African film to win the top prize at Berlin. Hong Sangsoo’s “A Traveler’s … Read more