Banel & Adama (French: Banel et Adama) is a 2023 French-Malian-Senegalese romantic drama film directed by Senegalese screenwriter Ramata-Toulaye Sy in her feature directorial debut. It premiered at the 76th Cannes Film Festival on 20 May 2023. It was chosen as the Senegalese entry for Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards.[2][3]
| Banel & Adama | |
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 Theatrical release poster | |
| Banel et Adama | |
| Directed by | Ramata-Toulaye Sy |
| Written by | Ramata-Toulaye Sy |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Amine Berrada |
| Edited by | Vincent Tricon |
| Music by | Bachar Mar-Khalifé |
Production companies |
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Release dates |
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Running time | 87 minutes[1] |
| Countries | France Mali Senegal |
| Languages | Pulaar French |
Plot edit
Banel and Adama are young adults in their late teens who live in a remote village in northern Senegal. Adama is quiet and introverted, while Banel is passionate and rebellious. Adama and Banel fall in love and decide to live separately from their families so that they can live together. When Adama refuses to fulfil his birthright to serve as the village's future leader, chaos ensues in the community.[4][5]
Cast edit
- Khady Mane as Banel
- Mamadou Diallo as Adama
- Binta Racine Sy
- Moussa Sow
- Ndiabel Diallo
- Oumar Samba Dia
- Amadou Ndiaye
Production edit
Banel & Adama is Ramata-Toulaye Sy's first feature film. The cast, composed of non-professional actors, performs in the Pulaaarr, a variant of the Fula language. The film was shot on location in northern Senegal between May and June 2022.[4][5]
Banel & Adama was produced by Eric Névé and Maud Leclair from La Chauve-Souris, and Margaux Juvenal from Take Shelter.[5]
Release edit
Banel & Adama premiered at the 76th Cannes Film Festival on 20 May 2023,[6] where competed for the Palme d'Or.[7]
The film was distributed in France by Tandem on 30 August 2023.[5]
Reception edit
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 94% with an average rating of 6.6/10, based on 16 reviews.[8] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 69 out of 100, based on 6 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[9]
Accolades edit
| Award / Film Festival | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cannes Film Festival | 27 May 2023 | Palme d'Or | Ramata-Toulaye Sy | Nominated |
| Caméra d'Or | Nominated | |||
| Melbourne International Film Festival | 2023 | Bright Horizons Award | Won |
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "BANEL E ADAMA". Festival de Cannes. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- ^ "Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
- ^ "European titles submitted for the Oscars race". Cineuropa. 17 October 2023. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
- ^ a b Lemercier, Fabien (2 March 2022). "Arte France Cinéma pledges support to Eat the Night by Caroline Poggi and Jonathan Vinel". Cineuropa. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
- ^ a b c d Keslassy, Elsa (17 February 2023). "Senegalese emancipation drama 'Banel & Adama' boarded by Best Friend Forever". Variety. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
- ^ mraultpauillac (2023-05-10). "The Screenings Guide of the 76th Festival de Cannes". Festival de Cannes. Retrieved 2023-05-10.
- ^ "Les films de la Sélection officielle 2023". Festival de Cannes (in French). 13 April 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
- ^ "Banel & Adama". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
- ^ "Banel & Adama". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
