Synopsis

After his part-time job, Alioune has to run an errand for his mother. But he's exhausted from the task and falls into a deep sleep at the bus stop. Leaving his tired body behind at the bus stop, he tries to fulfill his mission before returning to his own body.

Director's Note & Interview

"This film embodies every mother's wish, but it is also an open letter: where do those we love go when they disappear? Are they still here, brushing against our lives?"

Amiiine was born in 2019 from a simple yet profound question: What happens in that fragile moment when presence becomes absence? The project began as a work of fiction exploring transition, sleep, and silent disappearance. In 2023, a painful event in my personal life radically transformed the work—I lost my son. From that moment, the film became a vital act, a space to continue questioning, understanding, and keeping that bond alive beyond absence.

On the Connection Between Body and Soul

I wanted to illustrate this connection through the separation of the soul and the body, to give visible form to something we sometimes feel but can't explain. The exhausted body bears everything: fatigue, injuries, the weight of daily life. It often endures in silence. When Alioune gets on the bus while his body remains at the bus stop, his exhausted body no longer has the strength to continue, but something inside him is still moving forward.

On the Choice of Silence & Facial Expressions

There are moments in life when words become too small to contain what we feel. Grief, longing, anticipation, certain forms of love or loneliness are conveyed through a glance, a breath, a silent presence. Silence is never a void; it is a living substance that reveals what characters cannot put into words.

— Binetou Faye (Interview by Abdoubacar Demba Cissoko)

Director Biography

Binetou Faye began her career in 2018 as a production coordinator on the radio series "C'est la vie" (RFI). She completed a Master's degree in film production in Paris and went on to work as project assistant for the Fonds Image de la Francophonie (OIF) and project manager for the Accès Culture program at the Institut français.

She founded Afric'Art Progress, an organization providing film training access and mentorship for African talent, and in 2022 launched Lady Blue Production, where she developed, produced, and directed her debut short film, Amiiine.

Cast & Key Credits