Banel y Adama is a punchy African tragedy that plays with elements of melodrama and the culture’s rich mythology. It tells the story of love in strife. The titular couple (played by Khady Mane and Mamadiou Diallo) find themselves torn between traditional responsibilities and their desire for freedom. An unrelenting drought, dark secrets, and inherited responsibility drive a wedge between the couple, and tensions flare. As desperation mounts, the protagonists are pushed to increasing lengths. The story plays out like a fairytale, and though it remains largely committed to realism, the most compelling moments are those in which the film indulges African mysticism and psychological surrealism. 

The whispers, the lighting, the distortion, and the camera movement all add to this strange, wonderful tapestry, creating a dozen electric moments throughout the film which serve to segment the emotional rhythm of the narrative. The story is told in a dozen more ways than verbally alone, and though the village’s tradition provides an impression of eternity, it’s clear that the community teeters with a very human impermanence. The cinematography takes full advantage of Senegal’s West African landscape – makes the land itself a character of equal passion and temperament – as the cool rivers and grasslands give way to the sweltering Summer of the arid plains. The depiction of rural Africa is transportive, and it’s made even more convincing by the director’s employment of non-professional actors.

They do a phenomenal job bringing authentic suspicion and grief to even the most intense moments. The strength of this choice is felt as strongly (if not more so) than Chloe Zhao’s independent films (Nomadland (2021), The Rider (2017) Songs My Brother Taught Me (2015)) that make use of the same technique, because the emotions at play are so intense. The writing is strong, and the chemistry and tension is compelling. The stakes are touching, brutal, and real. Ramata-Toulaye Sy has put together a tremendously promising feature debut that’s absolutely worth seeking out.

4 out of 5 stars

“Banel y Adama” is currently screening at UWA Somerville as part of the Perth Festival 2024 Lotterywest Film Season. Click here for details.