DahomeyPG

Directed by Mati Diop | France | 2024 | 1h 8m | Fon & French w/ English subtitles

The African kingdom of Dahomey, once a dominant force in West Africa until the early 20th century, saw hundreds of its royal treasures looted by French colonial troops. In 2021, 26 of these priceless artefacts were finally returned to their homeland, now part of the Republic of Benin. In this thought-provoking documentary, acclaimed filmmaker Mati Diop (Atlantics) explores how these artefacts are received in a nation that has evolved in their absence, offering multiple perspectives on their cultural significance and legacy. Winner of the Golden Beat (Best Film) at the 2024 Berlin Film Festival.

Reviews

‘Diop’s film presents new and innovative ways to discuss the complex legacy of colonialism.’
★★★★
David Jenkins, Little White Lies

‘It is an invigorating and enlivening film, with obvious implications for the Elgin/Parthenon marbles in the British Museum.’
★★★★
Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed Dahomey between November 15, 2024 and November 26, 2024.

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Our beautiful art deco inspired auditorium can be found just off East Oxford's Cowley Road.We are open 7 days a week. We open the cinema and box office 30 minutes before the scheduled start time of each film, and the Box Office then closes 10 minutes after the film starts. We only show a few adverts – less than most cinemas – and we only play a couple of trailers, so please don’t be late as the film itself starts very close to the advertised time!

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