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PEOPLE & ARTS Saturday 18 May 2019
Mati Diop on being the first

black female director in Cannes

By JAKE COYLE that it happened to me. (“Touki Bouki”). Diop’s 2013
AP Film Writer I’m not responsible for that. documentary “A Thousand
CANNES, France (AP) — I haven’t done anything Suns” examined her uncle’s
Mati Diop was initially dis- specific for that. I’ve just legacy and his 1972 film,
appointed when she, by made the film I wanted considered a cornerstone
reading a news article, dis- to make,” said Diop. “I’m of African cinema.
covered that she was the not embarrassed. I’m not Diop has gradually formed
first black female filmmaker proud. I just take it as a her own aesthetic, one that
in the Cannes Film Festival’s pure fact.” sometimes bleeds docu-
prestigious competition in “Atlantics” marks Diop’s first mentary and fiction. A
its 72-year history. feature as a director, but friend called “Atlantique”
“I hadn’t realized myself. I she’s previously made five ‘’a fantasy documentary.”
didn’t know,” the 36-year- shorts, one of which was Diop prefers “a contempla-
old French-Senegalese film- the basis for her Cannes tive action film.”
maker said in an interview. entry. That 2009 short bore “It was written as a fiction
“My first reaction is that I the same title but a differ- but I don’t make this limit. I
found it quite sad. I thought, ent perspective, concen- don’t think it’s our business
‘Oh, is it?’ So there’s still a trating on a young man as filmmakers to draw these
long way to go before it forced into a dangerous limits between documenta-
becomes something com- migration. ries and fiction. When you
pletely natural and normal “I was myself a witness of have the desire to make
and something that’s not the situation, quite a close a film, you make a film,”
noticeable, the fact that witness,” said the Paris- she says. “The reality that I
I’m a black woman.” based Diop, who 10 years described is so anchored
Diop’s milestone has been ago visited her family in in social and political and
enthusiastically celebrat- Senegal. “It was 10 years economic terms, of course Director Mati Diop poses for photographers at the photo call
ed in Cannes, where she ago that there was this there is a real texture and for the film ‘Atlantique’ at the 72nd international film festival,
on Thursday premiered whole wave of a young embodiment of the subject Cannes, southern France, Friday, May 17, 2019.
her feature film debut “At- generation who were trying and my approach it in it Associated Press
lantics.” The film, which is to flee. They went toward that can be documentary- “It’s a misunderstanding of emancipation through
competing for Cannes’ Spain and many of them like.” to consider Penelope (of the loss they experience.”
top honor, the Palme d’Or, disappeared. I needed to “Atlantics” is also daz- “Ulysses”) a passive figure Diop has gradually come
focuses on the women tell this story. I had already zlingly otherworldly, with who’s just waiting for her to terms with her history-
left behind in Dakar when dealt with it in my short but waves of sorrow washing beloved to come back,” making status in Cannes.
many of the local young I felt I wasn’t done with it.” up on Dakar shores. Mama said Diop. “What I found On Friday, she told report-
men flee Senegal for Spain Diop links her reconnec- Sane plays Ada, whose interesting is that although ers that maybe she is a lit-
by boat, unable to make a tion with Senegal to her boyfriend, along with his these women are waiting tle proud, and noted that
living at home. birth as a filmmaker. She is shipmates, vanish at sea. for these men to come, Jordan Peele’s films (“Us,”
But for Diop, her unique the daughter of Senega- After, a mysterious spec- their life is transformed by ‘’Get Out”) have been en-
position in Cannes is a per- lese jazz musician Wasis ter haunts many of those the experience of this loss. thralling for her. In the inter-
plexing distinction. Diop and niece of the pio- who drove the young men It’s how these women can view, she cited Sofia Cop-
“What I realized, and I’m neering Senegalese direc- away. Diop compares the reconquer their own life pola’s “The Virgin Suicides”
not used to this feeling, is tor Djibril Diop Mambéty tale to “Ulysses.” and reach a certain level as a guidepost to her.q

Poet laureate writes tribute for Statue of Liberty Museum

By HILLEL ITALIE In “Harbor,” Smith invites “I’ve been to places where
AP National Writer the arriving “Stranger” to the backgrounds and per-
NEW YORK (AP) — At a time “Be my guest. Drink tea, spectives of people are
when families have been taste fruit and bread.” very different from mine,
separated at the Mexi- ___ but I found again and
can border and children Stranger, you’re the words again that it’s possible to
placed in cages, the coun- to a hymn I’ve only ever engage and have enlight-
try’s poet laureate is invok- hummed. ened and affirming con-
ing an old and welcoming Come. Let’s erase the dis- versations,” she told The As-
spirit for those seeking to tance between skin and sociated Press during a re-
live in the United States. skin. cent telephone interview.
Tracy K. Smith’s “Harbor,” ___ “We have the tools to solve
commissioned for this President Donald Trump has these problems.”
week’s opening of the repeatedly denounced Asked this week if she want-
Statue of Liberty Museum, asylum seekers, and one Singer Tony Bennett performs at the Statue of Liberty Museum ed Trump to read “Harbor”
is a ghazal-form poem (a of his top advisers on immi- opening celebration at Battery Park on Wednesday, May 15, and what he might think
series of autonomous cou- gration, Stephen Miller, has 2019, in New York. of it, Smith said she hoped
plets) partly modeled on even questioned whether Associated Press that “any reader who looks
Emma Lazarus’ “The New the Statue of Liberty de- clined to directly criticize try was in a “dark chapter.” at the poem” would “ac-
Colossus” and its immortal serves to be considered Trump or his administration. She added that her time knowledge the pain it ex-
beckoning to “your hud- a symbol for immigration. But she said she was deeply spent in rural communities presses, and to feel along-
dled masses yearning to Smith, whose honors in- shaken by images from the over the past couple of side it the spirit of hope that
breathe free.” clude a Pulitzer Prize, de- border and said the coun- years has encouraged her. runs throughout.”q