Maïmouna Doucouré
Maïmouna Doucouré (; born 1985) is a French filmmaker. She made her feature film directorial debut with ''Cuties'' in 2020 and became a controversial figure globally after the film's international release on Netflix. On 8 March 2019 coinciding ...
Variety
Variety may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats
* Variety (radio)
* Variety show, in theater and television
Films
* ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont
* ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'', 12 April 2022. The film centres on the coming-of-age of Hawa (Sania Halifa), a teenage girl in France who is living with her grandmother (
Oumou Sangaré
Oumou Sangaré ( bm, Umu Sangare; born 25 February 1968 in Bamako) is a Grammy Award-winning Malian Wassoulou musician, sometimes referred to as "The Songbird of Wassoulou". Wassoulou is a historical region south of the Niger River, where the mu ...
). Fearing that social services will take her away when her grandmother falls ill, sets out to get herself adopted by former first lady
Michelle Obama
Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama (born January 17, 1964) is an American attorney and author who served as first lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017. She was the first African-American woman to serve in this position. She is married t ...
.
Doucouré has described the film as being about the desire to transcend one's social class.
''Hawa'' features music from Malian Grammy-winning singer and songwriter
Oumou Sangaré
Oumou Sangaré ( bm, Umu Sangare; born 25 February 1968 in Bamako) is a Grammy Award-winning Malian Wassoulou musician, sometimes referred to as "The Songbird of Wassoulou". Wassoulou is a historical region south of the Niger River, where the mu ...
, as well as the French-Cameroonin singer Yseult.
The film premiered in the
Screen Daily
''Screen International'' is a British film magazine covering the international film business. It is published by Media Business Insight, a British B2B media company.
The magazine is primarily aimed at those involved in the global film business. ...
'', 3 August 2022. prior to its commercial distribution as an Amazon Prime Video original film. It was later announced that it would stream on
Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime is a paid subscription service from Amazon which is available in various countries and gives users access to additional services otherwise unavailable or available at a premium to other Amazon customers. Services include same, one- ...
on December 9, 2022.
Summary
Hawa is a young teenage girl living in
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
with her grandmother, Maminata, a
griot
A griot (; ; Manding: jali or jeli (in N'Ko: , ''djeli'' or ''djéli'' in French spelling); Serer: kevel or kewel / okawul; Wolof: gewel) is a West African historian, storyteller, praise singer, poet, and/or musician.
The griot is a repos ...
who is trying to train Hawa to follow in her footsteps. Her grandmother's health is failing and she is trying to get Hawa adopted so that she will be cared for if she passes.
While working at a convenience store Hawa reads an article about
Michelle Obama
Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama (born January 17, 1964) is an American attorney and author who served as first lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017. She was the first African-American woman to serve in this position. She is married t ...
promoting her autobiography '' Becoming''. She decides that since Obama's children have now graduated from school she would adopt her.
Hawa learns that her friend's father, who works as a stage technician, is helping to set up for a concert for Yseult who has been invited to attend an inclusive event held by Obama. Hawa sneaks into Yseult's stage rehearsals where the singer assumes she is a fan and, charmed by Hawa's brashness, allows her to stay for the concert and takes her with her as she is preparing for the party. Hawa steals Yseult's invitation and tries to sneak into the Obama's party. She is stopped by the police and returned home.