SƐBƐN

Massoh, a 27-year-old Malian, is back at home for her annual holiday. She’s
thrilled to present her new French passport to her father. However, Baba doesn’t share his
daughter’s enthusiasm about this “sɛbɛn” (paper), a symbol of her dual nationality. He
therefore draws Massoh into a back-and-forth discussion in which they question each other
about patriotism, identity, and the difficult subject of homecoming for the diaspora.

  • Rokiatou Konaté
    Director
    The Clockwork of Sunflowers
  • Rokiatou Konaté
    Writer
    The Clockwork of Sunflowers
  • Andrey Samoutié Diarra
    Producer
    Banel & Adama
  • Ousmane Zoromé Samassekou
    Producer
    The last shelter
  • Rokiatou Konaté
    Producer
  • Ramata Boundjou Sissoko
    Key Cast
    "Massoh"
  • Fily Traoré
    Key Cast
    "Baba"
    Sia, the dream of python,
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    SƐBƐN
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    14 minutes
  • Production Budget:
    4,000 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Mali
  • Country of Filming:
    France, Mali
  • Language:
    Bambara, French
  • Shooting Format:
    digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Rokiatou Konaté

Born in Mali, Rokiatou Konaté arrived in France at the age of seventeen to pursue higher
education in Economics. It was in the privacy of her student room that she discovered
cinema, an art through which her emotions took shape and her imagination was nourished.
Influenced by Iranian cinema, Souleymane Cissé, and Wong Kar-Wai, she wants to tell the
story of the worlds around her and their joys and sorrows.
In 2019, she joined the “1000 visages” association, where she shares her passion with other
young people during writing and directing workshops.
In 2021, she co-wrote and co-directed La mécanique des tournesols, a short film produced
for France Télévisions as part of celebrations to mark the 100th birthday of the artist Boris
Vian.
Sɛbɛn, which she co-produced, is her first solo short film.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

With SƐBƐN, which means paper in bambara, I wanted to capture the cultural estrangement experienced by many people in the diaspora. The feeling of not really belonging to any of the worlds we inhabit.