Souleyman's Story at Kinoptikum: A Film That Gets Under Your Skin


Date and Time
Location
Price
About this Event
Mood
Venue Type
Souleyman's Story: A Breathless Cinema Experience about Flight, Work, and Dignity
On October 11, 2026, Kinoptikum Landshut will showcase Boris Lojkine's award-winning social drama Souleyman's Story in its original French version with German subtitles. The film follows a young man from Guinea who works as a bicycle courier in Paris and must prepare for a hearing regarding his asylum application within 48 hours.
A Race Against Time
Souleyman rushes through the bustling Paris traffic, delivering food and fighting for every order. Without residence papers, he cannot work legally and has to use the app account of an acquaintance, who withholds a significant portion of his wages. Amidst deliveries, moody customers, and the looming last bus to the emergency shelter, every moment becomes an existential test.
A High-Tension Staging
Director Boris Lojkine develops the dramaturgy like a thriller. The camera stays close to Souleyman's body, to the pedals, to his breath, and to his frantic movements through the city. Artificial light, cold colors, and the background noise of traffic, the metro, and delivery stress intensify the theater atmosphere of the cinema into a direct stage experience.
Between True Biography and Invented Story
For the hearing, Souleyman is to learn an invented life story, promising him better chances for a residence permit. The staging makes visible how bureaucratic procedures compress personal experiences into verifiable narratives. In confrontation with the authorities, factual administrative language clashes with human despair.
Abou Sangaré with Compelling Acting
Abou Sangaré carries the film with a subdued, extraordinarily present performance. The amateur actor gives Souleyman a fragile mix of exhaustion, hope, and perseverance. For his role, Sangaré was awarded Best Actor in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival 2024. The personal closeness between the actor and character enhances the documentary accuracy of the film.
A Film That Doesn't Let Go of the Audience
Souleyman's Story combines social urgency with precise filmmaking. The plot highlights the shadows of precarious delivery work, the uncertainty of an ongoing asylum process, and dependence on informal networks. At the same time, the direction maintains a focus on small gestures of humanity and leaves the moral evaluation to the audience at the end.
Conclusion: Visitors to Kinoptikum can expect an intense, realistic, and formally powerful cinema experience. Those looking for socially engaged cinema, outstanding acting, and a tension-filled, condensed dramaturgy will experience a film that resonates long after the credits roll.
Official Channels of Kinoptikum Landshut:
- Instagram: no official profile found
- Facebook: no official profile found
- YouTube: no official profile found
- Website: no official profile found










