Khady Mane

Mamadou Diallo

Binta Racine Sy

Moussa Sow

Ndiabel Diallo

Oumar Samba Dia

Amadou Ndiaye

Amadou Hady Sall

Cherif Diallo

Nima Ba

Amadou Kane Sylla

Sawdatou Sy

Ramata-Toulaye Sy

My Lan Nguyen Quang

Andrey Samoute Diarra

Margaux Juvénal

Souleymane Kébé

Maud Leclair

Éric Névé

Oumar Sy

Amine Berrada

Vincent Tricon

Iman Djionne

Oumar Sall

Mariam Diop

Assagne Diagne

Sidonie Waserman

Arthur Winternheimer

Fabacary Coly

Olivier Voisin

Loïc Hoquet

Louis Roux

Marina Crassaris

Anaïs Van den Bussche

Angèle Pignon

Benjamin Silvestre

Jean-Pierre Laforce

Olivier Père

Bachar Khalifé

Drama

Banel e Adama

La Chauve Souris

ARTE France Cinéma

Tandem

Take Shelter

Astou Films

DS Productions

Canal+ International

France

Mali

Senegal

Lachlan Thiele

EXT. DESTINY - DAY

Banel & Adama is about destiny, loss and sacrifice. Luckily Banel & Adama doesn't sacrifice anything to present us with this story. 

Narratively it flows, opening on the love of our two protagonists: Banel, a woman who recently lost her partner and Adama, who has recently lost both father and brother (FYI, his brother was Banel's partner). With that recent loss, they are brought together out of, at least at the beginning, love and responsibility within the community and religion. 

Banel & Adama have a great score matching fantastic cinematography at the start and end, relying upon the story to keep you engaged. Thankfully that story unfolds truths about their relationship and forces them to fulfil birthrights and responsibilities. 

Unfortunately, the believability of their relationship is thin, and what's even harder to believe is the twist of how they came together, which is so quickly thrown in with minimal set-up and then so forgotten to make it seem like it's a plot line that was pulled last minute. 

The first and final 20 minutes are its most
outstanding moments, visually, narratively and audibly. Making it worth your time. 

FADE OUT.

Fulfulde

Banel & Adama

Storytelling & Love Q&A | Director Ramata-Toulaye Sy | With Savanah Leaf

Five Questions with Ramata Toulaye-Sy (Banel & Adama)

Mark Kermode reviews Banel & Adama (2023) | BFI Player

Director Ramata-Toulaye Sy on Banel & Adama | BFI Q&A

Video Essay - Shakespeare in Senegal

Ramata-Toulaye Sy on Banel & Adama

Official Trailer [Subtitled]

Trailer [Subtitled]

Banel & Adama

Where to watch

Cast

Reviews