Cycling through crowded Parisian streets while hustling as an illegal food courier, Souleymane has less than 48 hours to prepare for his asylum interview by rehearsing the details of his migration from Guinea between deliveries. Only, the story he’s desperately trying to memorize is a lie. Exhausted by the grueling grind of the gig economy and hopping between homeless shelters, Souleymane barely has the time—or the money—to meet with Barry, an immigration broker who promises that a fake story about political persecution in Guinea will guarantee asylum. Racing against time as he navigates the faceless bureaucracies and merciless systems fencing him in, Souleymane struggles not to lose himself in his pursuit of freedom.
Winning multiple awards at Cannes, Souleymane’s Story is a thrilling social realist drama centered around a virtuosic, heartrending performance from non-professional actor Abou Sangare in his debut role. An angry, tender film which is as gripping as any thriller.
Jury Prize, Best Actor, Un Certain Regard 2024
Supported by
Abou Sangare, Nina Meurisse, Alpha Oumar Sow, Emmanuel Yovanie, Younoussa Diallo, Ghislain Mahan
France
2024
In French, Fulah and Malinke with English subtitles
At International Village
At Fifth Avenue
Book Tickets
Indigenous & Community Access
Credits & Director
Producer
Bruno Nahon
Screenwriter
Boris Lojkine, Delphine Agut
Cinematography
Tristan Galand
Editor
Xavier Sirven
Boris Lojkine
Boris Lojkine, a philosophy graduate from the Ecole Normale Supérieure, left academia after his thesis to make documentary films in Vietnam, including Ceux qui restent (2001) and Les âmes errantes (2005). His first feature, Hope (2014), was presented at the Critics’ Week in Cannes and received dozens of awards in international festivals. In 2019, Camille won several awards, including the Audience Award at Locarno. His third film, Souleymane’s Story, was presented in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section in 2024.
Filmography: Hope (2014); Camille (2019)
Photo by Leonie Lojkine
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
Misericordia
Edgy, eccentric, and unapologetically queer, this film goes from drama to comedy without putting a foot wrong. Sex and murder are the subjects, and writer-director Alain Guiraudie (Stranger by the Lake) mines them for suspense and outrageous laughs.
The Stand
This rousing doc explores a 1985 dispute over logging in the Haida Gwaii. Taking us from canny retrospective commentary to the thick of the action, director Chris Auchter employs animation and a wealth of archival footage to riveting effect.
Julie Keeps Quiet
When her coach falls under investigation for inappropriate behaviour, a young tennis ace is thrown into turmoil. Her reluctance to testify about her experience puts her at odds with the club, her parents and her friends.
Resident Orca
Captured in Puget Sound in 1970, killer whale Lolita spent the next half century in a cramped tank in Seaquarium, Miami. The film follows a coalition of Lummi elders, animal lovers and philanthropists on a rescue mission to return her to the ocean.
The Way, My Way
All manner of pilgrims flock to France and Spain to walk the 800 km Camino de Santiago. One such is Bill, a stroppy sexagenarian Australian filmmaker who's determined to do the Camino with minimal prep, a dickey leg, and no firm idea why.