Nationalité : immigré

Presented by Léa Baron, Cinémathèque Afrique project manager, and Léa Morin, independent curator and researcher.

Shot between 1972 and 1975, Sokhona’s first film is the story of a struggle, that of immigrant workers in France. Blending fiction and documentary, Sokhona traces the difficult journey of a Mauritanian (himself) who arrives in Paris and faces racism and exploitation, right up to the political awakening and collective revolts of the Rue Riquet hostel. For the first time, the struggles of immigrants are filmed from the inside. Sokhona seizes the camera to denounce their situation, render the complexity of their experiences, and in the process deconstruct the paternalism of certain far-left militants. A manifesto film.

The Restorer – La Cinémathèque Afrique – Institut français, Talitha et Sidney Sokhona

The Cinémathèque Afrique brings together an extensive collection of African films from the 1950s to the present day (over 1,700 films, fiction, animation and documentaries) from 45 countries. Created in 1961 under the impetus of Jean Rouch and Jean-René Debrix, the Cinémathèque Afrique’s aim was to support early African film productions. Now part of the Institut français (since 2011), the Cinémathèque Afrique continues to acquire contemporary films and restore older works.

TALITHA (Rennes) is an association committed to the research and circulation of marginalized sound and cinematographic works and narratives. By bringing together filmmakers, artists, researchers and practitioners, Talitha creates spaces for reflection, sharing and reactivation of images, sounds and narratives rendered invisible by dominant narratives.

Photo credits : Nationalité Immigré © Cinémathèque Afrique – Institut français