Ndeup is a spiritual healing ceremony practiced by Lebou peoples in Senegal. Award-winning Malian American filmmaker, writer, and New York University professor Manthia Diawara was granted rare access to document the practice. With input from scientists and academics, he explores possible connections between this traditional possession ritual and Western logic. Full of incredible dance footage and community discussions, A.I. African Intelligence imagines generative ways of utilizing and thinking about “machine learning,” which Diawara fears might otherwise elide specific cultural practices like Ndeup. (Manthia Diawara, 2023, DCP, 110 minutes)
Part of the Celebrate Black Art & History on Screen series.