Review: Atlantics

Image courtesy of Netflix.

Mati Diop's feature debut, "Atlantics," won the Grand Prix prize at this year's Cannes Film Festival, and it's easy to see why the jury was taken with it. The picture is a haunting, strange and gorgeously filmed allegoric ghost story that has a rhythm and vibe that's different from anything else you'll likely see this year.

The picture at once tackles social issues and features a fated romance, all the while bathing itself in dreamy photography and adding to the mix a touch of the supernatural. As the film opens, a group of men in Dakar, Senegal's capitol city, are demanding the several months worth of pay they're owed by a greedy developer for construction of a new building. As they are fed excuses, they threaten to burn down the building or walk off the job.

One of those men, Souleimane (Ibrahima Traore), wanders off to meet his secret girlfriend, Ada (Mame Bineta Sane), at a secluded spot near a breathtaking beach backdrop. Souleimane and Ada's romance must be kept under wraps because Ada is engaged - albeit not by choice - to a wealthy man named Omar (Babacar Sylla), who will provide everything for her other than the type of true love she has with Souleimane.

Strange occurrences begin to happen. For starters, Souleimane and a group of men take a boat to Spain - without his telling Ada or saying goodbye - in the hope of finding work abroad. Ada is crushed to learn that the boat went down and the men on it are considered missing. Yet, there were no witnesses to the crash, and several acquaintances of Ada swear they've seen Souleimane since.

Ada's betrothal arrives, and during a party celebrating it, a mysterious fire is set in the lavish bedroom that Ada will share with Omar. The police believe Souleimane is involved, and a pushy officer is convinced that Ada has some sort of role in it. Meanwhile, the greedy developer begins to be visited by a group of women with glowing yellow eyes who have come to collect the money owed the missing men.

While the film's tale of interrupted romance is fairly straightforward, Diop's picture takes an interesting approach to its various social issues - the haves vs. the have nots, the refugee crisis and, to an extent, the rights of women to choose their own path. In another film, the eerie supernatural elements might have brought the action to a halt, but Diop shows a steady hand for a directorial debut, and the result is a film with a uniquely moody and dreamy vibe.

The cinematography by Claire Mathon, who also shot another Cannes hit, "Portrait of a Lady on Fire," is hauntingly lovely - especially a shot in which Ada and some other women sit in a dark nightclub while strobe lights pass across their faces - and the score by Fatima Al Qadiri combines a variety of discordant sounds with ambient electronic rhythms.

All in all, "Atlantics" is an impressive debut that is likely to make Diop a director to watch in the years to come. It's available to stream on Netflix and well worth seeking out.