Ramata-Toulaye Sy’s Debut Film ‘Banel & Adama’ Impresses at Cannes Film Festival with Striking Sophistication

“Destiny cannot be defied,” warns the protagonist Banel in Ramata-Toulaye Sy’s visually stunning debut film, Banel & Adama (Banel e Adama). Sy, only the second Black woman to make it into the Cannes Competition since Mati Diop’s Atlantics in 2019, delivers a subversive and sophisticated take on themes of African tradition and folklore. The film follows Banel, played by the remarkable Khady Mane, who is hopelessly in love with Adama (Mamadou Diallo), her childhood sweetheart. Banel was once promised to another man, but after his death, she believes she was given a second chance by God. Adama is a good and loyal husband, but when a drought strikes, he becomes preoccupied with his cattle, leaving Banel feeling abandoned. The clash of myth and modernity is palpable, and Banel wants the latter, but she has nothing to replace the tribal past she rejects. The film builds to a shocking revelation, stripping everything away from Banel until all she has is Adama, who is becoming increasingly absent. The title, once a dream come true, becomes an incantation or even a curse. Banel & Adama is a beautifully realized production that gets under your skin, leaving you with a haunting realization that destiny cannot be defied.