Atlantiques

2009 0h 16m FR

😐

6.1

MID

★6.1TMDB · 45

DocumentaryDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

The odyssey of Senegalese friends who attempt a life-threatening boat crossing.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Ouli Seck
Mother
Serigne Seck
Young Man
Alpha Diop
Friend around the Fire
Cheikh M'Baye
Friend around the fire
Ibou Laye
Friend at the Cemetery
Vieux Seck
Friend at the Cemetery
Asta M'Boup
Sister

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Mati Diop
Writers: Mati Diop
Languages: Wolof
Countries: France, Senegal

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 16-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Shot for just $0.0M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 17 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: France, Senegal.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Mati Diop, shot by Mati Diop. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Nicolas Milteau shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Ouli Seck and Serigne Seck and Alpha Diop carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Mati Diop directs. Mati Diop behind the camera. Nicolas Milteau cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in France, Senegal. Dialogue in Wolof.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 16-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
2Shot for just $0.0M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
3Released 17 years ago.
4International production across 2 countries: France, Senegal.
5Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
6Directed by Mati Diop, shot by Mati Diop. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
7Editor Nicolas Milteau shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Ouli Seck and Serigne Seck and Alpha Diop carry the top of the cast.
9IMDB entry: tt1620690 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Only 45 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography: Mati Diop
Editing: Nicolas Milteau
Runtime: 16 min · 0h 16m
Status: Released
Budget: $38
Original language: FR
IMDB: Atlantiques (2009)

Also by

Mati Diop

Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2025-10-18
★ 7/10
Separated from the woman he loves, a man sits with his friends by a roaring fire on the coast of Senegal dreaming of a reconciliation far away. As their entirely natural and spontaneously presented conversation evolves, their thoughts turn to escaping their daily drudge and taking to the open sea. “The ocean has no borders” says one… “it has nothing to hold on to” replies another as they begin to asses the emotional and physical risks that any journey might involve and weigh them up against losing what little they have at home - even if that includes their own lives. It packs quite a bit of philosophy into fifteen minutes, this feature, with an observational style of photography that takes us intimately into their debate. Their chatter seems to neatly align the pros and cons of their risky proposition and serves to provide the observer with some sort of idea as to the inspiration and driving forces that compel people to seek a better life, even if the place they are heading to is unknown to them, and quite possibly no less welcoming. It only scratched the surface of the issues, but it’s still worth a watch.

Production companies