| Director: | Moussa Sene Absa |
| Screenplay: | Moussa Sene Absa Pierre Magny Ben Diogaye Beye |
| Starring: |
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| Cinematography: | Amath Niane |
| Editing: | Pape Mbengue |
| Music: | Henri Guillabert Freres Guissé |
| Studio: | Les Films du Continent |
| Runtime: | 1h 41 mins |
| Country: | Senegal, Ivory Coast |
| Language: | French and Wolof |
Xalé is a 2022 Senegalese thriller film directed by Moussa Sene Absa.[1] It is the third film of the director's trilogy focused on women, following Tableau Ferraille (1995) and L'Extraordinaire destin de Madame Brouette (2002).[2] In October 2022, the Oscars selection committee of Senegal announced the film as the country's submission to the 95th Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film.[3] [4]
Set in Dakar in a time-shifting chronology, the film follows the story of two 15-year-old twins Awa (Nguissaly Barry) and Adama (Mabeye Diol). Awa is focused on her academics while her brother, Adama, hopes to emigrate to Europe. Following the death of their grandmother, they are put in the charge of their uncle Atoumane (Ibrahima M’Baye).[5] In accordance with the grandmother's dying wish, Atoumane marries his resistant cousin Fatou (Rokhaya Niang). Her rejection of him prompts Atoumane to take out his frustration on Awa [6] with life-altering consequences for both of them.[7]
It premiered at the London Film Festival.[8] The film was also screened at Adelaide Film Festival[9] and Mill Valley Film Festival where it had its US premiere.[10]