Dream-Like Visions: The Cinema of Alain Gomis
Film Series
(c) Alain Gomis
Metrograph
7 Ludlow St, New York, NY
10002
Friday, February 9 - Saturday, February 11, 2024
Discover celebrated French-Senegalese filmmaker Alain Gomis’ finest cinematic works now playing at Metrograph from February 9 – 11.
Villa Albertine and Unifrance are pleased to support, Dream-Like Visions: The Multi Sensorial Cinema of Alain Gomis, a curated selection of the French-Senegalese director’s films at Metrograph in February.
From the poignant narrative of a Senegalese man living his final day in Tey (Today) to Félicité‘s desperate journey seeking aid from friends, family, and strangers to save her son, the list of featured films capture intimate perspectives of characters alongside raw and chaotic scenes of the cities in which they live and themes of home, identity, and morality, reflecting Gomis’ Senegalese roots and cosmopolitan influences.
The screenings are followed by Q&A sessions with Alain Gomis.
Discover the lineup of films below.
In Theaters
Rewind & Play
“While conducting research for a fictional piece about Thelonious Monk, Gomis secured access to unedited raw footage from a December 1969 documentary about Monk produced for French television. Rewind & Play is a skillfully re-edited, hour-long version of a troubling interview between fellow jazz pianist Henri Renaud and Monk, in which Gomis sheds light on both Monk’s loneliness and resilience in the face of Renaud’s trivializing approach. The result is a compelling behind-the-scenes documentary showcasing the legend at work, coupled with a thought-provoking filmic essay on the issue of casual racism.”—Adeline Monzier, series curator
Post-screening discussion with director Alain Gomis and series curator Adeline Monzier, including musical performance from David Bertrand, on Friday, February 9.
Félicité
“Gomis’s vibrant, tumultuous fourth feature follows Félicité, a free-willed nightclub singer in the heart of Kinshasa, whose life is thrown into turmoil when her 14-year-old son gets into a terrible car accident. To raise the money to save him, she embarks on a harsh journey, seeking aid from friends, family, and strangers in the streets of the bustling capital, ultimately leading to a profound exploration of her own soul. Buoyed by a powerful performance by Véro Tshanda Beya Mputu, Félicité is a tapestry of toughness, tenderness, lyricism, mystery, humor, and terror. This emotional rollercoaster, selected as Senegal’s entry for the 90th Academy Awards in 2017, marks a ground-breaking moment as the country’s first submission for the Best Foreign Language Film category.”—Adeline Monzier, series curator
Q&A with director Alain Gomis, moderated by film critic and programmer Yasmina Price on Saturday, February 10.
Tey (Today)
“An insightful and existential parable about self-discovery in the face of mortality. In a village outside Dakar, Satché (actor, musician, and poet Saul Williams) discovers that today marks the final day of his life. From dawn until dusk, he traverses the Senegalese streets, observing the landmarks of his past with fresh eyes and bidding farewell to those around him—his first love, his friends, children, and wife. Gomis crafts a poignant and contemplative drama, offering a beautiful, compassionate tale that captures the variously joyous and tragic moments of a man’s concluding hours on Earth.”—Adeline Monzier, series curator
Introduction and Q&A featuring director Alain Gomis, moderated by Editor-in-Chief of SUNU Journal Amy Sall, on Saturday, February 10.
This Is Not a Burial, It’s a Resurrection
“A poetic contemplation on death, tradition, and the sacrifices made in the name of progress. Stricken with grief and solitude after losing her husband and children, the elderly Mantoa (Mary Twala Mhlongo) readies herself for death, seeking burial alongside her ancestors. However, the construction plans for a new dam near her village in Lesotho threaten to erase all she holds dear. Mosese’s stunning vision resonates as a silent call for future generations to pay attention before it’s too late. The film was chosen as Lesotho’s submission for the 93rd Academy Awards in 2020, the country’s inaugural entry in the Best Foreign Language Film category.”—Adeline Monzier, series curator
Introduction from Alain Gomis on Saturday, February 10th
Saint Omer
“Diop’s first narrative feature is a striking courtroom drama that reimagines the Medea myth. In the town of Saint Omer, located in northern France, Rama (Kayije Kagame), a successful journalist and author from Paris, immerses herself in the trial of Laurence Coly (Guslagie Malanda), a young Senegalese woman accused of murdering her infant daughter. Laurence’s candid admission of the act, lacking a clear motive, shakes Rama’s emotional stability as she grapples with the case, confronting memories of her immigrant mother and her own pregnancy denial. Diop skillfully navigates the complexities of motherhood, immigration, and cultural myths, crafting a film that is not only riveting and superbly acted but also possesses multiple layers, ultimately uncovering humanity in the midst of the inhumane.”—Adeline Monzier, series curator
Introduction by Alain Gomis on Sunday, February 11.
In partnership with
UniFrance
Founded in 1949 and strengthened thanks to its merger with TV France International in 2021, UniFrance is the organisation responsible for promoting French cinema and TV content worldwide.
Located in Paris, UniFrance employs around 50 staff members, as well as representatives based in the U.S., in China, and soon in Japan. The organisation currently brings together more than 1,000 French cinema and TV content professionals (producers, filmmaking talents, agents, sales companies, etc.) working together to promote French films and TV programmes among foreign audiences, industry executives and media.
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