Set against the restitution of 26 royal artifacts from the Kingdom of Dahomey held in Paris back to the Republic of Benin in 2021, *Dahomey* blends documentary realism with poetic narration. A statue of King Ghézo becomes the film’s philosophical voice, reflecting on its exile and return, while spirited debates among Beninese students at the University of Abomey‑Calavi explore identity, memory, and postcolonial restitution.
Genre: Documentary, Historical, Cultural
Stars: The royal artifact “26” (King Ghézo), student debate participants
Release Date: February 2024 (Berlin International Film Festival premiere)
September 11, 2024 (France theatrical release) citeturn0search12turn0search4Language: French, Fon (native Benin language), Voice-over in Fon/English
Country: France, Senegal, Benin citeturn0search12
Ratings: Rotten Tomatoes: 99% critic score citeturn0search1
Golden Bear Winner, Berlinale 2024 citeturn0search12turn0search10Available Subtitles: English, French
