Documentary by Santiago Zannou, 2011, 75'
Alphonse is a 70 years old man, born and raised in Benin, left his country and his people with the promise to come back home… But he never did. For the past 40 years he has been living in Madrid, selling little playthings at the market.
When Alphonse receives the news that his sister Veronique is ill, it seems to him that time has past too long and that he has to go and see her. Half a life later, Alphonse decides to travel back to Benin.
“The door of no return” is a journey from north to south and south to north, from the present to the past, from here to beyond. An adventure back to the starting point. An open reflection about all the questions arising from the personal conflict of a man divided by the emigrant who has gone and the immigrant who has never returned. It is the unique and universal story of Alphonse Zannou.
Alphonse is a 70 years old man, born and raised in Benin, left his country and his people with the promise to come back home… But he never did. For the past 40 years he has been living in Madrid, selling little playthings at the market.
When Alphonse receives the news that his sister Veronique is ill, it seems to him that time has past too long and that he has to go and see her. Half a life later, Alphonse decides to travel back to Benin.
“The door of no return” is a journey from north to south and south to north, from the present to the past, from here to beyond. An adventure back to the starting point. An open reflection about all the questions arising from the personal conflict of a man divided by the emigrant who has gone and the immigrant who has never returned. It is the unique and universal story of Alphonse Zannou.
Category
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Short film