Souleymane’s Story Trailer: Cannes Highlight Arrives in the U.S. This August

      One of our favorite finds from last year's Cannes Film Festival, Boris Lojkine’s Souleymane’s Story, went on to win the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize, the Un Certain Regard prize for Best Actor (Abou Sangare), and the FIPRESCI Prize. The film is set to be released on August 1 in NYC at Film at Lincoln Center and IFC Center, followed by an August 8 release in LA at Laemmle Royal. Kino Lorber has released a new trailer and poster for the film.

      The synopsis reads: “As he races through the streets of Paris delivering food on his bicycle, Guinean immigrant Souleymane (Abou Sangare) is trying to make ends meet. In two days, he must attend an asylum application interview, where he needs to present his case to an immigration officer (Nina Meurisse) who will decide his future in France. While riding, he repeats his story, but Souleymane isn’t prepared. Drawing inspiration from Cristian Mungiu’s 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days and reminiscent of the humanist films by the Dardennes, Boris Lojkine’s urgent and dynamic third feature remains closely aligned with Souleymane in this profoundly moving portrayal of the everyday challenges and uncertain futures encountered by migrants in France and globally.”

      In his review, Rory O’Connor shared, “This tense narrative is the latest socio-political commentary from Boris Lojkine, who also directed Hope (which followed a young woman’s journey to emigrate from Cameroon to Europe) and Camille (a biopic of French photojournalist Camille Lepage, who was killed while covering the conflict in the Central African Republic in 2014). Souleymane’s Story premiered in Un Certain Regard, where both Sangare and Lojkine received well-deserved recognition for their work. In my view, it was the standout discovery of this year’s Cannes Film Festival and, ironically, embodies the type of film that once characterized it. Since the Dardenne brothers won with Rosetta in 1999, at least four Palme d’Ors have gone to similar titles, but that style of filmmaking has sadly fallen out of vogue. Souleymane indicates that there may still be vitality in it.”

      Watch the trailer below.