Dahomey

Dahomey is a 2024 documentary film directed by Mati Diop. It is a dramatised account of 26 royal treasures from the Kingdom of Dahomey (in modern-day Benin), which were held in a museum in France. The film explores how the artifacts were returned from France to Benin, and the reactions of Beninese people. The film was an international co-production between companies in France, Senegal, and Benin. The film had its world premiere at the main competition of the 74th Berlin International Film Festival, where it won the festival's top prize, the Golden Bear. It was released theatrically in France on 11 September 2024, by Les Films du Losange, to critical acclaim. It was named one of the Top 5 Documentary Films of 2024 by the National Board of Review. It was also selected as the Senegalese entry for Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards, where it was shortlisted in two categories: Documentary Feature Film and International Feature Film.