Dahomey

Play trailer

1:20

Dahomey

2024

1h 8m

Documentary

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

97%

Tomatometer

96 Reviews

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

From acclaimed filmmaker Mati Diop (Atlantics), DAHOMEY is a poetic and immersive work of art that delves into real perspectives on far-reaching issues surrounding appropriation, self-determination and restitution. Set in November 2021, the documentary charts 26 royal treasures from the Kingdom of Dahomey that are due to leave Paris and return to their country of origin: the present-day Republic of Benin. Using multiple perspectives Diop questions how these artifacts should be received in a country that has reinvented itself in their absence. Winner of the coveted Golden Bear prize at the 2024 Berlinale, DAHOMEY is an affecting though altogether singular conversation piece that is as spellbinding as it is essential.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

With a rigorous yet fantastical approach, Mati Diop's Dahomey provocatively uncovers the restitution and repatriation of a stolen legacy, and serves as a powerful statement for decolonization.

Read Critics Reviews

Carlos Aguilar

Los Angeles Times

At only 68 minutes, “Dahomey” brims with plenty of perspectives on what the restitution of these ancient treasures symbolizes and the dicey political implications around it.

Nov 5, 2024

Full Review

Sarah-Tai Black

Globe and Mail

A welcome companion to the rich textures and spirits of Diop’s lauded feature film, Atlantics, Dahomey offers itself as a site of essential reflection and a necessary reminder of the living poetics that cinema is capable of.

Nov 4, 2024

Full Review

Donald Clarke

Irish Times

The French-Senegalese film-maker ... has certainly not taken the conventional approach while pondering an increasingly contentious area of postcolonial discourse. But this remains a lucid piece of work that lays out its arguments in sharp fashion

Rated: 4/4

Nov 3, 2024

Full Review

Filipe Freitas

Always Good Movies

While the mood is striking, the narrative offers little historical depth, leaving the reigns of kings Ghezo, Glele, and Béhanzin—and the broader cultural context—underexplored.

Rated: 3/5

Aug 28, 2025

Full Review

Marissa Hill

Shade Studios

If you're looking for a film that explores the return of cultural artifacts and the history behind colonial plunder, Dahomey might offer some insights, but it’s not the deep dive you might expect.

Jul 29, 2025

Full Review

Armond White

National Review

It is Diop’s academic background that makes Dahomey a more creditable venture in the diasporic art craze that we are currently witnessing.

May 16, 2025

Full Review

Read all reviews

juan daniel p

“El arte regresa a casa con alma y conciencia” Ganadora del Oso de Oro en el Festival de Berlín 2024, Dahomey es un documental que me sorprendió y gustó mucho. Dirigido por Mati Diop, cuenta el viaje de 26 piezas arqueológicas del antiguo Reino de Dahomey, que durante años estuvieron expuestas en museos de París y finalmente regresan a su tierra de origen. A diferencia de otros documentales históricos o arqueológicos, Dahomey propone algo distinto: darle voz y vida a los objetos. Diop convierte las estatuas en narradoras de su propio destino, logrando que lo inerte cobre sentimiento. Es un enfoque poético y audaz que transforma una restitución cultural en una experiencia sensorial y emocional. El uso de la cámara refuerza esta idea, transmitiendo con sutileza el peso del pasado y la dignidad del retorno. El diseño sonoro es sobresaliente: los ecos, las respiraciones y los silencios parecen hablar tanto como las imágenes. La fotografía, aunque correcta y funcional, no busca destacar, sino acompañar el tono reflexivo del relato. La duración es justa; el documental termina exactamente dónde debe, sin sentirse lento en ningún momento. En su último tercio, Diop introduce un debate entre jóvenes estudiantes de Benín, quienes reflexionan sobre cómo la colonización marcó su identidad, su cultura y su percepción del propio valor frente a los colonizadores. En resumen, Viaje espiritual y político donde las estatuas recuperan voz y memoria; Mati Diop convierte la restitución de arte en un poema visual sobre identidad, colonización y dignidad.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

10/23/25

Full Review

Trevor G

Powerful in every way.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

10/18/25

Full Review

Tom F

The straight documentary portions are compelling enough. The decision to give voice to the relics didn’t really work for me, but I appreciate the effort to try something different.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

08/01/25

Full Review

Matthew R

Pretty interesting stuff, of course asks a lot of questions regarding colonialism. I would have like to focus, or at least, dip into the history beyond the attempt to repatriate the art. The open conversation was excellent. Incredibly intelligent people.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/08/25

Full Review

Daniel B

If you're interested in colonialism and artifact restoration, then by all means....

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/12/25

Full Review

Dan D

Painfully slow paced. Is it the French writer putting the words in the mouth of a Beninese artifact? Are we supposed to take that as an informed cultural perspective? The redeeming part of the work is the spirited discussion of the University students.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

01/05/25

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Mati Diop

Director

Mati Diop

Writer

Eve Robin

Producer

Judith Lou Lévy

Producer

Mati Diop

Producer

Josephine Drouin Viallard

Cinematographer

Life After

100%

%

Life After

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Life After

The Arc of Oblivion

100%

93%

The Arc of Oblivion

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Arc of Oblivion

Grandpa Was an Emperor

100%

88%

Grandpa Was an Emperor

Watchlist

A Thousand Pines

%

%

A Thousand Pines

Watchlist

Beyond Utopia

100%

99%

Beyond Utopia

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Awards Leaderboard: Best Movies of 2024

10 Must-Watch Documentaries of 2024

Dahomey: Trailer 1

1:20

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

From acclaimed filmmaker Mati Diop (Atlantics), DAHOMEY is a poetic and immersive work of art that delves into real perspectives on far-reaching issues surrounding appropriation, self-determination and restitution. Set in November 2021, the documentary charts 26 royal treasures from the Kingdom of Dahomey that are due to leave Paris and return to their country of origin: the present-day Republic of Benin. Using multiple perspectives Diop questions how these artifacts should be received in a country that has reinvented itself in their absence. Winner of the coveted Golden Bear prize at the 2024 Berlinale, DAHOMEY is an affecting though altogether singular conversation piece that is as spellbinding as it is essential.

Director: Mati Diop
Producer: Eve Robin, Judith Lou Lévy, Mati Diop
Screenwriter: Mati Diop, Mati Diop
Distributor: MUBI
Production Co: Les Films du Bal
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: French
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 25, 2024, Limited
Box Office (Gross USA): $54.6K
Runtime: 1h 8m

Most Popular at Home Now