La passante

As a young African woman arrives in Paris and walks past two men, one French and one African, the men admire her beauty and fantasize. The European man dreams of taking the woman out for dinner in a restaurant while the African man imagines the woman preparing him a meal at home. Through their dreams, both men reflect the ways in which their differing cultural backgrounds impact their interactions with women. Inspired by the poem 'À une passante' by Charles Baudelaire

Directed by Safi Faye, La passante leans on a strong ensemble — Safi Faye — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 1972.