Mamadou Khouma Gueye

EARLY LIFE

Mamadou Khouma Gueye was born in 1981 in Thiaroye Gare, Senegal — a place with a significant and tragic historical resonance. He grew up connected to the Dakar suburbs, particularly the neighbourhood of Guinaw Rails (Guinaw Rail) on the outskirts of Dakar/Pikine, which later became central to his filmmaking. He studied History (modern and contemporary) at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, obtaining his degree and a master’s-level certificate. He also received training related to audiovisual professions. Before fully turning to directing, he was an activist advocating for greater access to cinema for residents of Dakar’s working-class suburbs.

CAREER

Gueye’s entry into cinema was shaped by activism and collective organising. He was a founding member of Ciné-Banlieue (Ciné-banlieue), an association created by the late Aziz Boye in the Dakar suburbs. From 2008 to 2013 he coordinated meetings, screenings, debates, communications, and human relations for the group, working to bring cinema to ordinary people and address social and political realities. He was mentored for five years by filmmaker Rama Thiaw. In 2015 he founded Plan B Films Senegal and launched the “Taste of Salt” (Goût du Sel) project, which combines artistic residencies, image-education workshops in working-class neighbourhoods, and film festivals at Lac Rose (Lake Retba), Senegal. Selected filmography: Early documentaries and shorts include Entropie à Guinaw Rails (2009), Zeinix ou l’arc-en-ciel (2014), Yëngël Gësëm / On garde espoir (2015), and One Minutes Say Say (2015). Kedougou (2017) – short documentary; Grand Prize for short films at Saint-Louis Docs and Tanit de Bronze at the Journées Cinématographiques de Carthage. Xaar Yallà (also styled Xaar Yàlla, 2021) – short; awards including Professional Jury Prize and Young Festival Jury Prize at Festival Pêcheurs du Monde, Green Images Award (Tokyo), and official competition selection at FESPACO 2023. Liti Liti (also known as The Attachment / L’Attachement, 2025) – first feature-length documentary (Senegal/Belgium/France, approx. 76–77 min). World premiere in official competition at Visions du Réel 2025. The film documents the progressive emptying and demolition of Guinaw Rails for the Train Express Régional (TER) project while focusing on his mother’s memories, community bonds, political hopes and disillusionments. It was later selected by Senegal as its official entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 99th Academy Awards (Oscars 2027 cycle). His films consistently explore the lives of ordinary people in Dakar’s suburbs, the human impact of urban development and modernisation projects, collective memory, and social/political realities. He has served as a panellist (e.g., Durban FilmMart 2025) and mentor, emphasising collective energy and access to cinema for underrepresented communities.

PERSONAL LIFE

Gueye maintains a relatively private personal life. His work is deeply rooted in family and community memory — most notably through his first feature documentary, which centres on his mother (Sokhna Ndiaye / Sohkna Ndiaye) and her long attachment to Guinaw Rails. He has spoken of accompanying her through the upheaval of forced displacement linked to major infrastructure projects. He divides professional activities between Senegal and France.

Mamadou Khouma Gueye is recognised as a committed voice in contemporary Senegalese and African documentary cinema. He champions the idea that art should make space for ordinary people and help represent difficult social and political realities. Through Ciné-Banlieue, Plan B Films Senegal, the Taste of Salt project, and his films, he has combined activism, education, and artistic practice. His work has been screened and awarded at major festivals including Visions du Réel, FESPACO, Carthage, and Saint-Louis Docs, establishing him as an important figure in the new generation of Senegalese documentary filmmakers focused on memory, place, and social justice.