Since dispatching the February 19th newsletter on “Hommage d’une fille à son père: Souleymane Cissé”—Fatou Cissé’s 2022 documentary feature tribute to her father, written in response to the news of his passing—I’ve learned that the film is also available on Plex, another streaming platform that, according to its own claims, is accessible in nearly every country.
Plex provides a second option beyond Kanopy—offering free, ad-supported streaming. However, like any other platform, its content libraries vary by region. Some users in African countries have reported limited libraries and occasional streaming issues due to network routing.
With the news of Souleymane Cissé’s passing just over a week ago, one would expect a major distribution company or a globally accessible platform to acquire the film for immediate worldwide release.
I realize it’s still early, and these things can take time. I can only hope something is already in motion! The documentary remains underseen since its Cannes 2022 premiere.
Just as crucial is the question of access to father Cissé’s own films.
I’ve been investigating their availability and even his most recognized work, “Yeelen” (Brightness, 1987), is not streaming widely. You can currently find it on Kanopy (of course!)—for US audiences, at least—but its availability elsewhere is unclear.
The rest of his work—”Baara” (Work, 1978), “Finye” (The Wind, 1982), and others—remains largely scattered across out-of-print DVDs, region-locked streaming platforms, and rare festival screenings. Accessibility, as is often the case even for pioneering African titles, is still a major issue.
Below is a detailed breakdown of where each of his major features can—or cannot—be watched worldwide.
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“Den Muso” (The Young Girl, 1975)
– Streaming: “Den Muso” is not readily available on mainstream streaming services, and it does not appear in Kanopy’s public catalog (unlike some of Cissé’s later films). Viewers may need to be on alert for special screenings or academic streaming collections.
– Physical Media: It was included in a French “Souleymane Cissé: 30 ans de films” 4-DVD box set (along with “Baara,” “Finye,” and “Yeelen”) released in 2004 by Pathé in Europe. That box set is currently out of print (listed as unavailable on Amazon). However, a region-free PAL DVD of “Den Muso” with subtitles is available from the Swiss distributor Trigon-film (often sold as part of a set with Cissé’s other films). No Blu-ray edition exists to date.
– Restoration & Upcoming: “Den Muso” was restored in 2020 by Souleymane Cissé in collaboration with La Cinémathèque Française, Cinémathèque Afrique, and the Institut Français, with support from Pathé. This new restoration has been screened at festivals and retrospectives (e.g., New York African Film Festival, BAMPFA in 2022). As of now, there’s no announced Blu-ray or wide re-release, but the restoration suggests it may be more accessible in the future, likely via art-house distributors or cultural institutions. Regionally, the restored print has been touring cinemas (e.g., I can confirm that it’s coming to Brussels in March), but a general consumer release is still pending.
“Baara” (Work, 1978)
– Streaming: “Baara” (sometimes known by its French title “Le Travail” or English “Work”) is not widely available on commercial streaming platforms. And unlike “Yeelen” or “Finye,” it’s not confirmed on Kanopy’s US library streaming at this time. The Swiss streaming platform Filmingo (Trigon-film’s service) offers “Baara” in some regions (Switzerland/Germany). In short, streaming options are limited and often region-restricted for this title.
– Physical Media: “Baara” was part of the Pathé 4-DVD box set (with “Den Muso,” “Finye,” “Yeelen”), though, as previously noted, that set is currently out of stock. Trigon-film sells a region-0 (region free) PAL DVD of “Baara” (titled “Baara – The Porter”), with multilingual subtitles. The DVD can be ordered in Europe and shipped worldwide, but viewers in NTSC regions should ensure their players support PAL format. No Blu-ray is available, and the old VHS releases (if any) are long out of circulation.
– Restoration & Upcoming: It’s not clear that “Baara” was ever restored. However, it has screened as part of various retrospectives (like at BAMPFA, Berkeley, in 2022). As of early 2025, there’s no announced Blu-ray or streaming deal for the film, but its increased visibility on the academic screening circuit may lead to future distribution. Regionally, aside from the European DVD, availability is limited; North American audiences especially will have to rely on film festivals, university libraries, or import DVDs to see it.
“Finye” (The Wind, 1982)
– Streaming: “Finye” is currently available to stream on Kanopy (of course, again!). Viewers with access via their library card can watch it in the U.S. and some other countries. Outside of Kanopy, “Finye” is not on major subscription services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Criterion Channel as of 2025. It does not appear on free ad-supported platforms either. Essentially, Kanopy (and possibly certain educational streaming services) is the primary streaming avenue for the film in many regions.
– Physical Media: There has been no mainstream Region-1 DVD in the U.S. for “Finye,” but it has seen releases elsewhere. The film is available on DVD from Trigon-film (Switzerland). Trigon’s DVD is PAL, region-free, with the original Bambara audio and subtitles in English, French, German, and Spanish. The disc can be imported (Amazon lists it as a “Non-USA format, PAL, Reg.0 import – Switzerland”). “Finye” was also included in the now-unavailable French Cissé box set. No Blu-ray edition exists yet, and standalone DVDs are scarce, making the European import or secondhand markets the go-to sources.
– Restoration & Upcoming: It’s not clear that “Fineye” was ever restored. However, it has screened as part of various retrospectives (like at BAMPFA, Berkeley, in 2022) and international film festivals. No official Blu-ray or modern re-release has been announced yet. Currently, viewers must rely on Kanopy or DVD imports. Regional availability notes: Kanopy’s streaming of “Finye” is generally accessible in the US (depending on local library participation), but audiences in Europe or elsewhere might not have an equivalent service and may need to buy the DVD.
“Yeelen” (Brightness, 1987)
– Streaming: Considered Cissé’s masterwork and most recognized, “Yeelen” is available to stream for free on Kanopy in the U.S., provided you have a library or university login. Plex’s streaming library suggests it was once available there, but now it just points to Kanopy as an online source. As of 2025, “Yeelen” is not on any major streamer like Netflix, Hulu, or Prime Video, and it’s not part of the Criterion Channel’s lineup (though Criterion’s editors have spotlighted the film in articles). For many viewers, Kanopy is the easiest legal streaming option for “Yeelen.”
– Physical Media: “Yeelen” has seen multiple home-media releases over the years. In the U.S., Kino Video released the film on DVD in 2003 (under the translated title “Brightness”). That DVD (NTSC, Region 1) included English subtitles and was one of the first North American releases of the film. It is now out-of-print, though used copies occasionally surface online. In Europe, “Yeelen” was included in Pathé’s 4-DVD Souleymane Cissé box set (France). Additionally, Trigon-film offers the film on region-free PAL DVD with multiple subtitles, marketed as a “restored version”. This Swiss edition is currently in print and can be ordered internationally. There is no Blu-ray of “Yeelen” yet; as of 2025, no distributor has released it in HD on disc.
– Restoration & Upcoming: “Yeelen” is Cissé’s most acclaimed film—it won the Jury Prize at Cannes 1987. A restored digital print has been circulating (As noted, Trigon’s materials refer to a “restored version,” and cinematheques have screened it), though the specifics of the restoration (4K or 2K) are not widely published. It was shown at BAMPFA just before the pandemic lockdown, and again in 2022. The film’s enduring reputation has led to speculation of a future Criterion Collection release or inclusion in Martin Scorsese’s World Cinema Project, but no official re-release has been confirmed yet. The Criterion Collection’s website has paid tribute to “Yeelen” and Cissé’s oeuvre in articles. Regionally, “Yeelen” faces fewer restrictions: it’s well-known in France and across Africa, and sometimes airs on specialty channels. For English-speaking audiences, Kanopy and the DVDs are currently the way to experience this film. The new restoration, and the film’s wide recognition, should ensure that “Yeelen” does get new distribution (theatrical and home video) in its full visual glory.
“Waati” (Time, 1995)
– Streaming: “Waati” is not available on any major streaming platforms at present. Unlike Cissé’s earlier films, it has virtually no presence on services like Kanopy, MUBI, or mainstream streamers. A search of global streaming guides shows no platform currently carrying “Waati” for rent or subscription. This means that, unless one finds an unofficial upload or a festival screening, “Waati” cannot be easily streamed. (It occasionally screens in retrospectives—e.g., film archives or institutes—but there’s no on-demand option for general audiences.)
– Physical Media: Availability on physical media for “Waati” is also very limited. The film was a co-production between Mali, France, and others, and it premiered at Cannes 1995, but it did not receive wide home video distribution. There was no known North American DVD/VHS release. In France, there may have been a VHS or a DVD in the late 90s or early 2000s—for instance, Unifrance indicates some distribution, but if a DVD exists, it’s rare. As of now, “Waati” is essentially out-of-print in all regions. Collectors might only find second-hand tapes or seek out prints held by archives.
– Restoration & Notes: “Waati” has certainly not yet been publicly announced for restoration. Recent efforts by Cinémathèque Française covered select earlier works, but “Waati” (being a later film) wasn’t mentioned in those restoration projects. It’s possible the original elements are in France; if so, a restoration could happen in the future, but nothing has been reported. Because the film deals with apartheid-era South Africa and has an international scope, the rights might be complex (multiple production companies), which could be a factor in its scarcity. In summary, “Waati” remains one of Cissé’s most elusive films for viewers – a situation that may persist until a film archive or distributor takes on a revival.
“Min Yè” (Tell Me Who You Are, 2009)
– Streaming: “Min Yè” (often referred to by its French title “Dis-moi qui tu es” or the English “Tell Me Who You Are”) is not currently streaming on any mainstream platform worldwide. Services like Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, etc., do not have it, and even niche platforms have not picked it up. As of 2025, a global streaming search shows “Min Yè” is not currently available to stream anywhere. The film’s limited release means it hasn’t entered digital platforms; it has primarily been seen at festivals (it was shown at FESPACO and other festivals in 2009).
– Physical Media: There has been very limited physical media distribution for “Min Yè.” The film did get a release in France—likely a DVD around 2009/2010. Indeed, French marketplaces list a DVD of “Min Yè” (sometimes labeled “DVD autres zones”), implying a DVD that may be region-free or not standard Region 2. This French DVD version is hard to find. Outside France, “Min Yè” was not released on DVD in the US or UK. No Blu-ray exists. In short, the only way to own “Min Yè” is to track down the obscure French DVD or possibly a collector’s copy somewhere, somehow—perhaps, eBay.
– Upcoming/Re-release: Being a relatively recent film, “Min Yè” has not needed “restoration,” but its availability is hampered by distribution rather than print quality. There are no known plans for a wider release. With Cissé’s renewed visibility in 2023–2025 (including his Carrosse d’Or award at Cannes in 2023, and, sadly, his passing this year), there might be interest in revisiting his entire filmography. If so, “Min Yè” could eventually appear in a retrospective set or on a streaming service. For now, though, it remains difficult to access, with no active distribution deals I could track down.
There you have it!
Note: These films, despite being significant markers of African cinema, were not officially distributed across the continent in any structured way that I could determine. While they occasionally appear at African film festivals and on national broadcasters, there are no widely available African-region DVDs, Blu-rays, or official streaming platforms dedicated to his work.
As the film world reassesses Cissé’s unheralded contributions to cinema, ensuring access to both his daughter’s documentary on her father’s life and work, and his own groundbreaking films becomes all the more urgent.