Souleymane's Story
Directed by Boris Lojkine
Racing through the streets of Paris making food deliveries on his bicycle, Guinean immigrant Souleymane (Sangare) is struggling to stay afloat. In two days, he has to report for an asylum application interview, where he must plead his case to an immigration officer (Nina Meurisse) who will determine his future in France. As he rides, he repeats his story. But Souleymane is not ready. Drawing inspiration from Cristian Mungiu’s 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days and evoking the humanist films of the Dardennes, Boris Lojkine’s urgent, propulsive third feature never leaves Souleymane’s side in a deeply affecting account of the daily trials and uncertain futures faced by migrants in France and around the world.
Reviews
Critic's Pick! "Affecting. Reminds us why we fight to survive in the first place."
“A biting critique of an unjust immigration system….a film whose depth of honesty keeps it feeling refreshingly human.”
"Gripping. Lojkine’s intelligent and empathetic film places us right alongside him, with each cog of circumstance and each gear of good fortune grinding against him at every turn. Its electrifying lead – non-professional Abou Sangare, making an unforgettably persuasive and poignant debut. Sangare is magnetic”
"A film with a Dardennes aesthetic that offers tension, bleeding edge emotion and social commentary on a hot button issue… Abou Sangare is magnetic."
"Riveting... A suspenseful, ticking-clock drama. A realistic and very humanistic look at one immigrant’s grueling daily life in Paris."
