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Souleymane (non-professional actor Abou Sangaré in a riveting first performance that earned him several Best Actor awards) is a Guinean immigrant working illegally as a food delivery biker in Paris. He spends every waking second fighting against the clock: making his work quota, getting back in time to catch the bus to the shelter, waking up early to secure a bed for the next night, filling out asylum paperwork, and keeping up with the life he left behind in Guinea.
His interview for asylum application, the last key to obtaining his papers (“carte de séjour”) is scheduled in two days and he is not ready. The camera follows Souleymane over 48 hours as he pedals through the streets of Paris to deliver meals, nervously practicing for his interview.

Director Boris Lojkine (Camille - Virtual SFFF 2020) shot this fictional film like a documentary, on city streets with concealed handheld cameras. The cast is made up of unprofessional actors, with the notable exception of Nina Meurisse (Camille; Green Tide - SFFF 2024), who took home the 2025 César for Best Supporting Actress for her short but memorable role as the inscrutable immigration agent interviewing Souleymane. All of this gives  Souleymane’s Story a true-to-life feel, while its tight screenplay makes the film a pulse-pounding and emotional thriller about a man whose life is about to change, for better or worse.

Souleymane’s Story was showered with awards at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival’s Un Certain Regard section (Jury Prize, Best Actor, and the Fipresci International Critics' Award) and at the 2025 César ceremony (Best Original Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Nina Meurisse, and Best Male Revelation for Abou Sangaré).

Souleymane’s Story had a real-life happy ending when earlier this year, Abou Sangaré, who was in a similar situation to his character, received his asylum papers!

DIRECTOR: Boris Lojkine
Screenplay: Boris Lojkine & Delphine Agut.

CAST:
Abou Sangare: Souleymane Sangaré
Alpha Oumar Sow: Barry
Nina Meurisse: The immigration agent
Emmanuel Yovanie: Emmanuel
Younoussa Diallo: Khalil
Keita Diallo: Kadiatou

France, 2024
1 h 33 min
Not Rated (All Audiences)
In French, Fulah, and Malinka with English subtitles.

US Distribution: Kino Lorber