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Upcoming Screenings: SILENT LEGACY

Göta 1

Jan 29, 2026

17:45

Gothenburg, Sweden

Silent Legacy - Nordic Premiere

Göteborg Film Festival

Meet the Directors

Bio Roy

Jan 30, 2026

12:00

Gothenburg, Sweden

Silent Legacy

Göteborg Film Festival

Meet the Directors

Biopalatset 8

Jan 31, 2026

14:15

Gothenburg, Sweden

Silent Legacy

Göteborg Film Festival

Göta 2

Feb 1, 2026

20:00

Gothenburg, Sweden

Silent Legacy

Göteborg Film Festival

Kino Regina

Feb 6, 2026

17:15

Helsinki, Finland

Silent Legacy - Katseiden alla - Finnish Premiere

DocPoint Helsinki Documentary Film Festival

Meet the Filmmakers

Kinopalatsi 6

Feb 7, 2026

15:00

Helsinki, Finland

Silent Legacy - Katseiden alla

DocPoint Helsinki Documentary Film Festival

Ritz

Feb 8, 2026

15:00

Vaasa, Finland

Katseiden alla - Silent Legacy

Preview Screening @ Ritz

Feb 13, 2026

Finland

Katseiden alla - Silent Legacy

FINNISH THEATRICAL PREMIERE

Venue and ticket information to be published

Silent Legacy - Still Image - Sibiry returning to his home village
Silent Legacy - Still Image - Sibiry feeling cornered
Silent Legacy - Still Image - Sibiry amused by his difficult position

SILENT LEGACY

“A fascinating work, particularly in how it provides us with a stark portrait of someone seeking a place called home, both literally and metaphorically.”
- Matthew Joseph Jenner / iCs - International Cinephile Society

Documentary film 2025 | 88 min | Finland, France, Burkina Faso | Directed by Jenni Kivistö & Jussi Rastas
Finnish title: Katseiden alla

After a decade as a professional dancer in Finland, Sibiry Konate yearns for his West African home village. However, in Burkina Faso he is seen not as the person he is, but as a wealthy European he is not. Caught between expectation and reality, Sibiry decides to return with a gift he hopes will lift the village out of colonial stagnation — and allow him to become a loved villager once again.


Silent Legacy explores identity, belonging, and responsibility through the perspective of a person navigating life between two worlds. It exposes the often-invisible pressures weighing on migrants — offering an intimate look at individuals forced to respond to an increasingly unequal world.

The film’s cinematic language combines observational documentary with contemporary dance, creating a layered and distinctive narrative form.

WATCH THE TRAILER

“Documentaries on migratory journeys to Europe abound. But those that explore the hidden side of exile, once arrived, are rare. Silent Legacy lifts the veil on this blind spot.”
- Malik Berkati / J:mag

DIRECTORS' WORD

In Europe, he is seen as “an African immigrant,” while in Africa he is viewed as “a privileged European.” We believe this film can offer a unique window into the little-known reality of migrants, where expectations, hopes, perceptions, and one’s own identity intertwine under the pressure of two very different worlds.

It is fascinating to understand how complex a migrant’s relationship with their country of origin can be — a bond that can be both a burden and an important source of strength. Finding genuine connection can at times be challenging in a world shaped by inequality and the lingering legacy of colonialism.

Sibiry’s inspiring and determined character, along with his ability to dream boldly, ties into a central global dilemma: in an increasingly unequal world where states fail to address disparities, migrants are often forced to search for — and create — solutions themselves.

Jenni Kivistö - Film Director
Jussi Rastas - Film Director

“With tactful restraint and visual intuition, the production explores the protagonist [...] Alternating between naturalistic observation and surreal visuals, the enigmatic imagery reveals the omnipresent demands on people in the Diaspora.”
- Lida Bach / Moviebreak

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Interested in screening the film?

Silent Legacy is available for festival screenings and thematic discussions around migration, identity, equality and contemporary dance. If you would like to screen the film at a film festival, please contact: info@rainafilms.com For all other screenings — including companies, cultural organisations, universities, community groups, institutions and special events — please reach out to: contact@vakifilms.com

We are happy to provide further information, materials and support for organising a meaningful screening experience.

Credits

Directed and Written by Jenni Kivistö & Jussi Rastas
Cinematography: Jussi Rastas
Dance Cinematography: Ari Virem
Choreographies: Sibiry Konate
Editing: Jenni Kivistö, Jussi Rastas, Heli Kota, Sofia Bonds & Samu Kuukka
Composed Music: Emil Sana
Sound by: Olivier Goinard
 
Produced by Väki Films (Finland) / Ella Ruohonen
In co-production with Sébastien Tézé / Ellis Films (France) & Mamounata Nikièma / Pilumpiku Production (Burkina Faso) with support from Finnish Film Foundation, AVEK, Church Media Foundation, CNC, Procirep - Angoa, in collaboration with Yle and France Télévisions.

 

Technical Information

Original title: Silent Legacy
Finnish title: Katseiden alla
French title: L’Heritage Silencieux

Genre: Documentary
Keywords/tags: Human interest, Identity, Migration, Belonging, Contemporary dance, Colonialism, Nordic, Africa

Year of Production: 2025
Countries of production: Finland, France, Burkina Faso
Country of filming: Finland, Burkina Faso

Running time: 88 min
Screening format: DCP
Sound: 5.1 + stereo
Ratio: 16:9

Original languages: Diuola, French, Finnish
Subtitled in: English, French, Finnish

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