I didn’t know what to expect from ATLANTICS. You’re drawn in with a social realist take but what stays with you is the magical realism that comes into this Senegalese story’s second half. Construction worker Souleiman (Traore) protests against unpaid wages while his girlfriend Ada (Mame Bineta Sane) is about to be married off to someone else by her parents. Before long Souleiman and his fellow labourers have left for Europe by boat for work and Ada has some momentous life decisions to make. Strange crimes are committed in the city and a detective (Amadou Mbow) is on the case. The atmosphere throughout is pervasive, the performances are great across the board, the plot goes to some unexpected places and Mati Diop really impresses in the director’s chair. Well worth your time seeking out (it’s on Netflix) if this passed you by last year. SSP