Exploring the Spiritual Heritage of Benin | FULL DOCUMENTARY

"Meet the Sentinels of Benin, the Guardians of the Spirits, who fight every day to preserve the heritage of this deeply spiritual people. We explore Porto-Novo, Benin's vibrant capital, following Aténi, a moto-taxi driver, through the city. Alongside imported religions like Islam and Christianity, there are 50 million followers of the Vodou religion, and Aténi is one of them. In his village near Porto-Novo, we witness a Vodou ceremony dedicated to Reviosso, the god of storms and lightning. Hidden from the city's roar is the unique Toffin people, who live in the lake city of Ganvié. We meet Baba Fudji, a fisherman, and his family. His fishing partner, Hubert, is learning to repair nets. Baba Fudji shares the history of the Toffin fishing community. We follow them for a day's work on the lake: growing artificial mangroves, building fish enclosures, and casting nets. After a long day, Baba Fudji takes us to church for Easter weekend celebrations. The next day, the long-awaited fish harvest begins, the result of months of effort. Alongside Deen, a member of the Eco-Benin association, we head to La Bouche du Roy. Deen’s ingenious idea is to protect the mangroves, natural defenses against coastal erosion. Today, we attend the sacred ceremony dedicating the mangroves under the protection of the Zangbéto deity. In Northwest Benin, the Somba people live in a desert region enriched by traditions. We meet Martial, a village healer, who treats a young girl with malaria. Tomorrow, Martial’s 18-year-old son Dominique will undertake the initiation rite of passage into adulthood, a spiritual journey that will transform him. This ancient syncretic culture is precious yet threatened and in need of protection."

Documentary: Today in Africa EP2 Benin (2018)
Directed by: Julien Naar
Production : Bo Travail !

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