Saloum (film)

Saloum
Theatrical film poster
Directed byJean Luc Herbulot
Written byJean Luc Herbulot
Story byJean Luc Herbulot
Pamela Diop
Produced byPamela Diop
Jean Luc Herbulot
StarringYann Gael
Roger Sallah
Mentor Ba
Evelyne Ily Juhen
Bruno Henry
Marielle Salmier
CinematographyGregory Corandi
Edited byNicolas Desmaison
Alasdair McCulloch
Sébastien Prangère
Music byReksider
Production
companies
Lacmé
Rumble Fish Productions
Tableland Pictures
Release date
  • 30 September 2021 (2021-09-30) (TIFF)
(USA)
Running time
84 minutes
CountriesSenegal
France
LanguagesFrench
Wolof
Box office$5,078[1][2]

Saloum is a 2021 Senegalese-French crime horror-thriller film directed by Congolese filmmaker Jean Luc Herbulot, written and produced by Herbulot and Pamela Diop.[3] Set in Senegal in 2003, it mostly uses a mix of French, Wolof, and sign language.

The film follows a trio of elite African mercenaries, the "Hyenas of Bangui", who, on their way by plane from Bissau to Dakar, try to lie low and find supplies in a resort near Saloum Delta in Senegal, where they must hide their identities and fight for survival.[4][5] The film stars Yann Gael, Roger Sallah and Mentor Ba as the Hyenas, alongside Evelyne Ily Juhen, Bruno Henry, and Marielle Salmier in supporting roles; it was one of Ba's final roles, as he died in August 2023.[6] It is a fictional story taking inspiration from African legends and real-life events.[7]

The film had its international premiere in the Midnight Madness section of the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival on 30 September 2021.[8] The film received critical acclaim and was screened worldwide,[9][10] and began streaming internationally on Shudder in September 2022.[11] Saloum was met with very positive reviews, with praise for its unique blend of styles and influences, direction, and performances. Herbulot won the Award for Best Director in the Next Wave section at the Fantastic Fest,[12] and the film won the Audience Award for most popular film in the Altered States program at the 2021 Vancouver International Film Festival.[13]

  1. ^ "Saloum (2022)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  2. ^ "Saloum (2022)". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  3. ^ Scheck, Frank (21 September 2021). "'Saloum': Film Review: TIFF 2021". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  4. ^ "Saloum". TIFF. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  5. ^ "'Saloum' Is A Kinetic, Genre-Bending Revenge Story [TIFF Review]". theplaylist.net. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  6. ^ "Saloum". Fantastic Fest. Archived from the original on 26 November 2021. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  7. ^ Christian Roche, Histoire de la Casamance : Conquête et résistance 1850-1920, 2000, p. 22
  8. ^ "Saloum". TIFF. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  9. ^ "Saloum". Cineuropa. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  10. ^ Saveliev, Alex (30 September 2021). "Saloum: Film Threat". Film Threat. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  11. ^ Hadadi, Roxana (2022-09-09). "What Hides in the Heart of Saloum". Vulture. Retrieved 2022-10-04.
  12. ^ Stiff, Victor (17 September 2021). "TIFF 2021: Saloum Review". That Shelf. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  13. ^ Steve Newton, "Vancouver International Film Fest announces award winners". The Georgia Straight, October 13, 2021.