At the Musée du Quai Branly in Paris, 26 royal artifacts from the Kingdom of Dahomey were displayed for decades. Directed by Mati Diop, this documentary recounts their return to Benin. It features reactions from students at the University of Abomey-Calavi and includes a narrative from a statue of King Ghézo, reflecting on its history. The film won the Golden Bear at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival and addresses the ongoing repatriation of cultural heritage.

Deep Dive

Why Watch

See the return of Dahomey treasures to Benin.
Meet students discussing cultural repatriation.
Find out about King Ghézo's statue's journey.

Did You Know

The Kingdom of Dahomey existed from 1600 to 1904.
The artifacts were taken to France during the colonial period from 1872 to 1960.
The film won the Golden Bear at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival in 2024.
Only 26 of the 7,000 ethnographic objects held by the Paris museum were returned.
The film was released in France on 11 September 2024.

Perfect For

Cultural heritageAfrican historyArt repatriation

Read full Deep Dive →

Frequently Asked Questions

Who directed the documentary Dahomey?

Dahomey was directed by Mati Diop.

What significant award did Dahomey win at the Berlin International Film Festival?

Dahomey won the Golden Bear at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival.

How many royal treasures from the Kingdom of Dahomey were returned to Benin?

A total of 26 royal treasures from the Kingdom of Dahomey were returned to Benin.

Awards & Festivals

Lumière Awards

2025 • Award

Berlin International Film Festival

Year unknown • Award

DOC NYC

2024 • Official selection

European Film Awards

2024 • Official selection

Awards & Festivals

Comments

What are people saying?

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