Awa Djiga Kané

After his mother develops cancer from dépigmentation, Khalilou fights toxic beauty standards. Disguised as Leila, he enters the "Miss Students" pageant, where light skin reigns, to give dark-skinned girls a chance to shine.

55-year-old Demba is about to retire after 30 years of service at the city hall in his small town in Northern Senegal. That hot summer, as the 2-year anniversary of his wife’s passing approaches, he realizes he just can’t “shake it off.” As his mental health deteriorates, he discovers a new connection with his once estranged son.

Fifteen-year-old Mabil is passionate about contemporary dance and this passion sometimes leads him to imagine himself dancing in the street. For him, dancing is not a distraction, but a need. When he wants to organize a dance show on the evening of the Taajaboone, Bintou, his mother, finds his enthusiasm for this event dishonorable. She objects: dancing is not for men. After having tried to convince her several times, without success, Mabil reluctantly decides to disobey her, knowing that his choice could destroy the relationship he has with his mother.