“The Light of Women”, directed by Elise Darblay and Antoine Depeyre, is more than a documentary. It’s a powerful narrative about social transformation and female emancipation in isolated Peul villages of Fouta-Toro, northern Senegal.
Elise Darblay, an ethnologist trained at EHESS and École des Gobelins, approaches documentary as an anthropological quest. Each of her films explores a facet of humanity, revealing intimate character transformations.
Antoine Depeyre, initially a camera operator for Canal+, Arte, and France Télévisions, develops an empirical and instinctive directing style. His approach aims to challenge viewers by first challenging himself.
In the semi-desert plains of Fouta-Toro, Peul villages live without electricity, with lifestyles frozen for generations. Women, traditionally confined to their plots, had never left their community.
The documentary follows Néné and her companions, challenging traditions by training in solar engineering through Barefoot College, an innovative Indian NGO.
“The Light of Women” documents women from Fouta-Toro learning solar engineering and transforming their community. The film captures their emancipation journey, showing how these women challenge secular traditions by acquiring technical skills and redesigning their village’s social dynamics. Partnering with Libraries Without Borders, the project aims to create a learning space and offer new educational perspectives for women and children in the region.
For more information: www.lumieredesfemmes.com
Practical information:
📅 Thursday, 20 February 2025
⏰ 8pm
👉 Outdoor Theater
💰 Free entrance