May Screenings (Online)

NIGHT OF THE KINGS
LA NUIT DES ROIS

• Director: Philippe Lacôte
• FRANCE, IVORY COAST, CANADA, SENEGAL / 2020 / H264 / Colour / 93’ / French, Dioula, Nouchi; Turkish s.t.

• Screenplay: Philippe Lacôte
• Director of Photography: Tobie Marier Robitaille
• Editing: Aube Foglia
• Music: Olivier Alary
• Cast: Koné Bakary, Steve Tientcheu, Rasmané Ouédraogo, Issaka Sawadogo, Digbeu Jean Cyrille, Abdoul Karim Konaté, Anzian Marcel, Laetitia Ky, Denis Lavant
• Producer: Delphine Jaquet, Yanick Létourneau, Ernest Konan, Yoro Mbaye
• Production Co.: Wassakara Productions, Banshee Films, Peripheria
• World Sales: Memento Films International

This film is screened within the Best of the Fests section.

Theme Sponsor

2021 Rotterdam Youth Jury Award
2021 African-American Film Critics Association Best Foreign Film
2020 Toronto Amplify Voices Award

Dazzling as structured on magical realism and fantasy elements, Night of the Kings is a breathtaking prison thriller on the potential of storytelling in Ivory Coast. A young man is sent to La Maca, the only prison in the world run by inmates, where he is appointed as the storyteller as dictated by customs. But the catch is deadly and the task is difficult: on the rising Blood Moon, he has to tell a story to the other inmates, and he will be killed if his story is over. He has no choice but to extend his story about the “Zama King" as long as he can. Reflecting West Africa‘s griot tradition, the film is a contemporary adaptation of 1001 Nights and also director Philippe Lacôte‘s return to cinema after Run, which was shown at the Cannes Film Festival in 2014. Featuring first timer Bakary Koné in the lead role and Denis Lavant in a supporting role, Night of the Kings, made its premiere at the Venice Film Festival and went on to be nominated as Ivory Coast‘s Oscar contender and was shortlisted.

This film was a Meetings on the Bridge participant.