“Tohossou” (28 min / 2018)
In the Republic of Benin in West Africa, Vodun deities are associated with various domains, including natural elements like thunder, contagious diseases such as smallpox, animals like snakes, and ancestral spirits. Among them, the deity known as Tohossou (tɔxɔsu), is unique in that it not only possesses humans but can also be born in human form. In particular, children born with physical or intellectual disabilities are often regarded as incarnations of Tohossou.
The protagonist of this film, Paul, was unable to speak as a child and was identified through divination as a Tohossou deity. Though Paul does not engage in farming and spends his days wandering the village. While villagers mock him, they also respect and cherish him. This film closely follows Paul’s life and gently portrays a world where gods and humans live in constant intersection.
“Dance of Mourning” (30 min / 2017)
This film documents a funeral ritual conducted in Thio, central Benin. It follows a young man who runs a local printing shop as he organizes a secondary funeral called Jonudido for his late father. The film explores how young people preserve—or deviate from—what are considered “traditional rituals,” and how they weave relationships with indigenous deities in the process. Through the dynamic movements of the ritual, the film portrays contemporary forms of ceremony and the ways in which people engage with them today.
“The Season of Vodoun” (46 minutes / 2017)
This film documents the rituals of the indigenous Vodoun religion in the Republic of Benin. In the village of Thio, located in central Benin, Vodoun ceremonies take place over a period of two to three months during the dry season. Vodoun refers to a pantheon of deities originating from nature, animals, and ancestors. During this period, shamans reside in designated shrines, and on ritual days, Vodoun spirits possess the shamans, who then dance and offer blessings before the community. Through a portrayal of these continuous Vodoun rituals, the film also explores how the spirits were involved in that year’s presidential election, shedding light on the dynamic interplay between ritual and contemporary political life.