One of the most exciting and influential films in African cinema, Touki bouki (Djibril Diop Mambety 1973), is a portrait of the disenchantment of postindependence Senegal in the 1970s.
In this surrealistic yet grounded drama, two young lovers long to escape Dakar and discover the glamour and pleasures that they imagine France has to offer. However, both practical and mystical forces stand in their way. Influenced both by French New Wave cinema and the realities of African life, the film has style to burn. Its influential imagery can be seen as recently as Beyoncé and Jay-Z's 2018 On the Run II tour posters, which mirror the film’s. Touki bouki’s humor, editing, soundscapes, and storytelling make the film essential viewing today—an important addition to any cinema lover’s education. In French, Arabic, and Wolof with English subtitles. (89 mins., DCP)
