HOTEL OF DREAMS

As a boy, the now 45-year-old Jeannot left his native Senegal to start a new life in Belgium

Initially, he worked as a dishwasher in a bar, but when he married a rich woman; his life took a turn for the better. After 25 years, his marriage is over, but he has saved some money and returns to his home country to realise a dream: building a hotel in Popenguine, a small fishing village on the Senegalese coast. Full of confidence, he starts the construction work. Unlike the hotel owners in a neighbouring village, who keep their many customers happy with young black prostitutes, Jeannot hopes that his hotel will be more in tune with the traditional solidarity and culture of Popenguine. After some years of hard work, his palace is finally completed. Then he starts waiting for the hotel guests. Six months later, Jeannot is nearly bankrupt. To make matters worse, many of the villagers object to Jeannot’s hotel. Schoolteacher Karim thinks that Jeannot should have conferred more with the village elders. Jeannot starts feeling like an outsider in his own country more and more. Then, taxi driver Birane decides to make an attempt at reconciliation between the village and the newcomer.

Release year:

2005

Director:

Helle Toft Jensen

Running length:

52 or 59

Production company:

SPOR MEDIA

Prizes:

Silver Wolf Competition IDFA 2005

 

Categories:

• People & Culture