Teranga

A film about hospitality

Many people from Senegal cross land and sea to come to Europe. 
What do they hope to achieve? What are their dreams?

In the spring of 2018, Jolien Wallis de Vries stayed in Senegal for three months 
to experience life there and to get to know our neighbours on the other side of the sea, 
finding out what moves them and inspires them.

Submerged in a culture which is completely different from the Western Culture she was used to, she filmed all the interactions and conversations with people she met and this resulted in the film ‘Teranga’.

‘Teranga’, the title of this film, means hospitality in Wolof. It stands for the welcoming and openness which is deeply rooted in the Senegalese culture, and which has inspired Jolien to make this film. Senegal has a collective culture where solidarity comes first.
With this film she wants to give a voice to the people she met and give them a stage to tell about their dreams. The dreams of people who want to move to the West en the dreams of people who are passionate about Senegal and critical about the dominating individualistic Western culture.