Filmmaker Mati Diop’s documentary Dahomey examines the complex idea of restitution. It looks at the return of 26 objects that originated from the Kingdom of Dahomey as they travel from Paris to present-day Benin. These objects were among hundreds that were taken by the French in the early part of the 20th century. Diop’s previous credits include directing the fictional film Atlantiques — about two friends from Senegal traveling by boat to Europe — and acting in the Claire Denis film 35 Shots of Rum.
Diop tells The Treatment about using sound as a language in her films, deciding not to pursue more of an acting career, and the fraught racial politics of France.