Name: The Story of Souleymane Review: A Vivid Glimpse Into Hidden Struggles
Item: The Story of Souleymane
Author: Mahan Zahiri

Boris Lojkine’s film The Story of Souleymane delivers a glimpse into the challenges of a Guinean migrant striving to build a new life in Paris. Released in 2024, the film follows its protagonist, Souleymane, over the course of two days as he delivers meals by bike while anxiously preparing for an asylum interview that could determine his future.

Souleymane’s situation is precarious. Undocumented and unregistered as a worker, he relies on low-paying delivery jobs that expose him to unscrupulous bosses and the frequent peril of busy city streets. Every part of his routine is a desperate effort just to make it through each day—searching for coins so he can afford the evening bus, memorizing an invented testimony as his best chance at the interview.

But Lojkine never sensationalizes Souleymane’s struggle. Through the vérité filming style and Abou Sangare’s magnificent lead performance, we experience Souleymane’s world with profound empathy. We feel his exhaustion on the bike and share his quiet moments of hope. In the climactic interview scene, Souleymane’s inner strength is revealed as he opts for honesty over an untruthful script, showing his determination to build a life despite immense challenges.

The Story of Souleymane presents a compassionate portrait of a migrant navigating today’s complex realities. Anchored by Sangare’s star-making role, it invites us to walk with Souleymane and understand the resilience of a man striving for a better future against long odds.

The Grueling Routine of Souleymane

Our story focuses on Souleymane, a young Guinean man seeking asylum in Paris. Though he has made it to France, Souleymane’s situation remains precarious. Without legal status or proper documentation, his options are limited. He has taken work as a food delivery cyclist to get by, but the job brings its own challenges.

Each day follows the same grueling routine. Souleymane rises before dawn to secure a bed at the crowded shelter where he resides. Then it’s straight onto his bicycle to begin delivering meals across the bustling city. Pedaling for hours through busy streets, he races to satisfy the demands of his delivery app. There is no room for breaks; he must keep moving to complete as many orders as possible before the end of his long shift.

The work takes its toll. By the day’s end, Souleymane is exhausted in body and mind. But there is no time to rest. He must hustle to catch the last bus departing for his far-flung shelter. Miss it, and he faces a homeless night on the cold streets. With his future uncertain, every day brings mounting pressure.

Looming over Souleymane is his important asylum interview. Without status, he has no right to legal employment or housing. Everything depends on his application being accepted. However, his own story provides little cause for refuge. He must instead learn a fabricated tale procured for him by another migrant.

As the interview approaches, Souleymane drills into the false details relentlessly. But after two grueling days of delivering meals non-stop, doubts creep in. Will he be able to maintain the lie under scrutiny? On this climactic day, Souleymane faces a dilemma. When the moment arrives, will he continue clinging to a story not his own or take a riskier path of honesty?

Verite Style Captures Tension of Souleymane’s Plight

Boris Lojkine brings a powerful sense of realism to The Story of Souleymane through his direction. Those familiar with Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne’s work will notice similarities—a grounded, fly-on-the-wall approach where the camera becomes an unseen observer. Lojkine captures Souleymane’s environment with gritty authenticity, immersing us in his daily grind.

Tristan Galand’s cinematography plays a big role. He shadows Souleymane relentlessly on his bicycle, delivering meals, following just behind in a kinetic manner. It puts us right there alongside our protagonist, experiencing the frantic pace and stress of his job. When Souleymane must hurry, so too does the camera, as we feel that urgency through Galand’s handheld shots.

Lojkine also builds tension through his economical timeline. Condensing Souleymane’s harrowing days into a compressed 48-hour period, the clock is always ticking. Every second feels crucial as our hero juggles work with planning for his all-important interview. The sparse dialogue and near-constant motion create a rising sense of anxiety and jeopardy over his situation.

Additionally, Lojkine’s film stands out for its sophisticated use of sound instead of a score. We hear Souleymane’s bike wheels grinding, the city noise enveloping him, and ambient sounds that place us right there. Combined with piercing silences, it heightens the film’s vérité qualities and puts the viewer on edge alongside its protagonist.

Through these aesthetics, Lojkine brings an earnest, uncompromising portrayal of Souleymane’s precarious world. We see the true stakes of his struggle in a direct, immediate manner that will certainly resonate with audiences.

Souleymane’s Story Comes to Life Through Abou Sangare

Much of The Story of Souleymane’s power stems from relative newcomer Abou Sangare’s raw, compelling performance in the lead role. With little to no acting experience prior, Sangare throws himself fully into inhabiting Souleymane to striking effect.

From the hustle and physical exertion of zipping across Paris on meal deliveries, Sangare convincingly embodies the fatigue and desperation of Souleymane’s plight. Every motion—the clipped pace on his bicycle and frequent worried glances at the clock—speaks to the constant time pressure he faces.

Yet Sangare ensures Souleymane stays empathetic, even when frazzled. Subtle gestures like helping an elderly customer convey a resilience of character beneath the hardship. His eyes in these quieter moments tell another story beyond what’s said.

Especially impactful is Sangare’s work in the climactic asylum interview. Conveying complex emotional shifts through studied glances and posture alone, we see Souleymane’s manufactured story start to break down. As awkward pauses fill the silence, Sangare transforms the character from reciting a lie to revealing his authentic truth in a way that’s profoundly moving.

Though a non-professional, Sangare brings natural charisma and nuance that elevate even the most mundane scenes of Souleymane’s routine. We feel invested in this man because of how fully Sangare inhabits his humanity on screen. His magnetism keeps the camera fixed, even when little happens plot-wise.

Landing such a difficult role for his first credited performance is a major accomplishment, proving Sangare a talent to watch. With any luck, this breakout will open doors for more compelling leading man roles where his captivating screen presence and facility with subtlety can shine. For now, he’s given an undoubtedly star-making turn as the complex, compelling Souleymane.

Navigating Harsh Realities

The Story of Souleymane shines a light on the harsh daily grind faced by those living as undocumented workers. As Souleymane bikes tirelessly around Paris, making deliveries, we see the relentless pace he must maintain to survive. Just putting food on the table and a roof over his head requires navigating complex systems of exploitation.

Directing viewer perspective through kinetic camerawork, Lojkine immerses us in Souleymane’s world. We feel the breathlessness of racing to each destination on time, dodging Parisian traffic with mere seconds to spare. Through it all, an ever-present anxiety simmers—one missed bus could result in a night on the streets.

Souleymane’s circumstances show the vulnerability of those without papers and options. His delivery app account is effectively “rented” through a loan shark, perpetuating a cycle of debt. Even the asylum story purchased from a fixer may undermine rather than help his case. Lojkine portrays these situations without accusation, reflecting the pragmatism of navigating crumbling support systems.

Yet glimmers of hope emerge, proving humanity still persists even in harsh environments. Small acts of compassion sustain Souleymane, like a cafe offering hot drinks to those with nowhere else to go. Such gestures remind us that shared humanity often survives beyond political constructs. As Souleymane perseveres in striving for a better life, Lojkine brings needed nuance to stories too often reduced to propaganda soundbites on either side.

Through sensitive filmmaking, Lojkine shines light on shared hopes transcending any one person’s borders or papers. The story resonates by presenting migrant realities with clarity, not scaremongering or oversimplification.

Understanding the Complex Journey

The Story of Souleymane shines a light on the migrant experience, with care and truth at the forefront. Rather than sensationalism, Lojkine’s film invites us to walk with Souleymane and understand his realities. Through his determined strides across a busy Paris, we glimpse both hardship and fleeting moments of compassion.

Lojkine presents Souleymane’s circumstances without pity or condemnation. The systems he navigates are fraught, yet the director portrays the individuals within them as multidimensional. Souleymane’s reliance on fabricated refugee claims stems from practical desperation, not ill intent. His interviewer views him with empathy, despite her role.

By focusing on Souleymane’s humanity over political talking points, common ground emerges. We recognize our shared hopes for loved ones, their fears of uncertainty, and our gratitude for small kindnesses. Though policies divide, these experiences unite across borders.

The film follows Souleymane to the interview’s climax without judgment for his situation or actions. Instead, Lojkine leaves space for thoughtful reflection on society’s role and our own. The Story of Souleymane shows migration as a complex issue demanding nuance over simplistic labels.

Through a vivid yet balanced portrayal, the film brings Souleymane’s still-evolving journey to light. Not to sensationalize or decide for viewers, but to better understand—and perhaps find within each other—that common ground of compassion we see glimpsed throughout Souleymane’s relentless stride.

The Resilience of Souleymane

This film stuck with me after finishing. Boris Lojkine presents a story that seems all too real for many seeking opportunity in Europe. Throughout Souleymane’s relentless days, small moments stand out—a kind gesture offering rest, communities finding connection despite differences.

What impressed me most was the natural way this story unfolds. Lojkine doesn’t sensationalize or overexplain. He simply lets us observe Souleymane’s reality, good and bad, feeling every pedal of that bicycle beside him. Ablou Sangare owns this role with quiet strength, his eyes conveying great care, hope, and weariness.

The interview scene perfectly caps Souleymane’s journey. He tells his story now, unguarded, and leaves an impact. In these kinds of stories, it’s easy to focus on struggles and miss the resilience of the human spirit. Souleymane never gives up, even when everything seems against him.

After the final scenes, I left thinking about how many lives are lived this way, striving to offer loved ones something better. Perhaps we could learn from those seeking opportunity with little else than determination and hope for a fair hearing. This film is a gentle reminder of our shared humanity.

The Story Could Have Been Tightened

This film packs a punch with its gritty look at Souleymane’s life in Paris. What stood out most was how it transported me straight into his day-to-day, feeling every pedal and worry alongside him. Abou Sangare is tremendous in capturing his determination.

If there was one area that could be improved, it may have been some tighter editing in the middle. A few scenes felt like they lingered a bit long on the delivery routine, which started to feel repetitive after a while. The story remained engaging, but trimming some of these moments could have maintained the breakneck pacing set earlier on.

Still, this is a minor critique of an otherwise impactful piece of work. By stripping back non-essential details, Lojkine trusted the audience to fill in the blanks about Souleymane’s circumstances. We see the good and bad he faces without being preached to. And the interview scene at the end packs an emotional wallop I won’t soon forget.

Overall, The Story of Souleymane told a poignant story in a vivid, straightforward way. It stuck with me long after, putting a human face to larger issues and inviting deeper thinking. In showing glimpses of hope amid struggle, Lojkine crafted a film that will undoubtedly leave its own mark.

The Review