This event offers a critical discussion of urgent contemporary global issues related to migration, displacement, and transnational identities through a film panel discussion of the 2023 Italian film, Io Capitano, directed by Matteo Garrone. The event will include a contextualising musical performance of Senegalese instruments and Afro-Cuban diasporic music and dance.

Io Capitano, which achieved significant international success and wide distribution, offers a powerful cinematic representation of Senegalese migration to Europe. The narrative follows the journey of two young Senegalese men from Dakar to Sicily, Italy, portraying both the extreme violence and precarity of their voyage, as well as the protagonists’ desire for adventures and a better future.  

Through an analysis of selected scenes from the film, a panel of experts will discuss the geo-economic and political dynamics driving the contemporary African diaspora, as well as the impacts of migration on both people and places. Additionally, the film opens a space to explore Senegalese culture and oral traditions alongside Italian literature and storytelling, creating a compelling metatextual dialogue between the two countries. Ultimately, the themes discussed resonate with broader global patterns of migration and ongoing refugee crisis.

What to expect:

A 90-minute program of music, film, discussion and dance.

The event begins with a Senegalese musical performance of kora and cello, followed by a panel discussion with selected screenings from Io Capitano.

The event will conclude with an Afro-Cuban dance performance, accompanied by batá drums, and a final audience Q&A.

Panelists and performers:

Elisabetta Ferrari (Senior Lecturer, School of Languages and Linguistics) 

Lamine Sonko (Honorary Fellow, School of Languages and Linguistics) 

Eyram Ivy Sedzro (Graduate Researcher, School of Social and Political Sciences) 

Santo Cilauro (Filmmaker and screenwriter, Working Dog Productions)

Adrian Hearn (Professor, School of Languages and Linguistics) 

Aloy Junco (Professional dancer and drummer)

Anita Quayle (Cellist and composer)

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