In Mali, Sékou Timité, a young Mandinka man, wants to follow in the footsteps of his late father by becoming a djeli, a traditional storyteller. He sets out on a journey through Mandinka communities across West Africa to learn from the best djelis and gather wisdom. Along the way, he meets a wide range of people whose life stories reveal the problems of everyday life.
The oral transmission of historical events occupies an important place in Mandinka culture, which is also kept alive through traditional clothing and music. Performances by djelis enliven ceremonies, celebrations, and other events. Meanwhile, modern communication technology is also inevitably making its way into the streets, where people sit glued to their mobile phones scrolling through a new type of stories.
The camera closely follows Sékou on his journey through Côte d’Ivoire to Senegal, accompanied in voice-over by the story of the 12th-century hero Soundiata, founder of Mali. In this way, his trip becomes a reflection on West Africa between history and the present day.
Stills
