My Father's Kora

A journey from Berlin to Dakar becomes a moving exploration of identity and belonging in Aymar Esse’s affecting debut.

Souleymane, an Afro-German trans man, travels to Senegal to repair the kora inherited from his father, reconnecting with family and heritage along the way. Quietly observant and deeply heartfelt, the film weaves together music, faith and chosen family in a sensitive meditation on repair and what we pass down through generations.

“The warmth and affection that Souleymane receives in Dakar is equally characteristic of My Father’s Kora, which has a touch of the fairy tale about it.” — Srikanth Srinivasan, The Seventh Art