A complete retrospective of Khady Sylla’s five films was hosted by the Amiens International Film Festival (November 15-23, 2024), in Amiens, France, as part of a global revival of the Senegalese filmmaker’s work.
As French filmmaker of Senegalese and Congolese ancestry Johanna Makabi discussed at length on France’s RFI’s “Tous Les Cinémas Du Monde” (All the Cinemas in the World) podcast on November 23, this showcase – which travels to Paris in early 2025 and later to New York’s Metrograph for Sylla’s first American screenings – represents more than mere rediscovery.
It affirms the relevance of a radical vision that first emerged in 1996 when Sylla picked up a camera to film psychiatric patients in Dakar.
Every frame came back overexposed – technically “burned.” This seeming failure would prove prophetic. Sylla’s overexposed footage unconsciously captured an altered perception that would define her approach to documentary filmmaking.
Admittedly, before this year, I knew little about Sylla and her work. However, the ongoing limited worldwide tributes of her five films inspired me to dig deeper.
Thanks to Makabi’s elaborations, the retrospectives provide a lens into Sylla’s transformative career. She served as a curatorial contributor and panelist, collaborating with the Amiens team to organize and promote the retrospective.
On November 24, Akoroko Premium subscribers received a piece that celebrates and reassesses Khady Sylla’s contributions to cinema, positioning her work within broader cultural and cinematic discussions.
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