The Dawn

  • Short Film Competition

Alternate Title: Beutset

Year: 2023

Length: 30 mins

Country: Switzerland / Senegal

Language: Wolof

Premiere: NYC Premiere

Directed by: Alicia Mendy

Produced by: Rhea Plangg, Delphine Jeanneret, Iman Djionne

SEE THE FILM

Friday Feb 21, 6:30 PM-9:00 PM – Friday Evening Shorts Program 2 + QA

When a parasite contaminates all the drinking water of Dakar, pills are created to neutralize it. Alioune, can no longer afford his pills and is exposed to the symptoms of the parasite – madness and dementia. As the days go by, he realizes that he has never been so lucid, and he begins a journey of political and spiritual awakening.

About the Director

Alicia Mendy is a young director focusing on genre cinema in Senegal. An alumnus of HEAD-Geneva, she is interested in cinema that represents and valorizes African and Afro-descendant peoples through the fantasy and science-fiction genres. African spiritualities and oral traditions are central to her short films, which explore utopias and dystopias. She also composes her own film scores, ranging from classical to electro and Afro rhythms.

Reviews & Interviews

Best of BlackStar 2024Letterboxd, by Adesola Thomas

Photos

Awards

2024 Kurzfilmtage Winterthur – Best Student Film
2024 Rio Curtas Cinema – Best Director