Racing through the streets of Paris on his bicycle, Guinean immigrant Souleymane (Abou Sangare, in a breakthrough performance) is struggling to stay afloat as an undocumented gig worker, delivering food to middle class Parisians using a “borrowed” account, for which he pays a percentage of his hard-earned wages. In two days, he has to report for an asylum application interview, where he must plead his case to an immigration officer who will determine his future in France. As he rides, he repeats his story, always racing against the ticking clock of the app, and followed closely by director Boris Lojkine’s handheld camera.

Drawing inspiration from the humanist films of Cristian Mungiu and the Dardenne brothers, Lojkine’s urgent, propulsive third feature – a winner of two awards in the Cannes Film Festival and four Cesar Awards – reveals an unseen portrait of Paris from the point of view of one of its hardest workers.

"Dazzling." (Le Monde)

"A thriller on two wheels... high octane... powerful and raw... unflinching yet compassionate." (Screen Anarchy)

"Boris Lojkine’s “Souleymane’s Story,” an affecting film about struggle set over two days in Paris, is the rare character study that does not only build empathy with its hero’s pain but channels its sensation." (New York Times)

"Abou Sangare is magnificent as Souleymane. He is on screen for virtually every second, and he holds your attention without fail." (The Sydney Morning Herald)

Tuesday, September 9 >
Doors 6:00 pm | Movie 6:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

SOULEYMANE'S STORY (Boris Lojkine, 2024 / 93 mins / NR / French w/EST) As he pedals through the streets of Paris to deliver meals, Souleymane repeats his story. In two days, he has to go through his asylum application interview, the key to obtaining papers. But Souleymane is not ready.