Mati Diop, born in Paris in 1982 to a Franco-Senegalese family with artistic roots, is an award-winning filmmaker known for her lyrical and political cinema that explores themes of identity and post-colonialism. Starting in theatre with sound and video design, she transitioned to filmmaking with her first short in 2004. Her decade-long trilogy based in Dakar, including her acclaimed feature Atlantics (2019, Cannes Grand Prix), examines the impact of immigration and political shifts on Senegalese youth, positioning cinema as a tool for reclaiming marginalized narratives. Alongside her features, Diop has created several shorts and video works, often revisiting themes of exile, mythology, and the unseen. Her second feature, Dahomey (2024), continues her artistic activism, focusing on the restitution of African artifacts.