Ulrich Köhler Reimagines the Medea Myth in Senegal

Director Ulrich Köhler's latest film, "Gavagai," offers a fresh perspective on the ancient Medea myth, transplanting the narrative to Senegal. This reimagining deliberately blurs the lines of the classic story, where Medea, the sorceress from Colchis, is the foreign "barbarian" and Jason, the Greek hero, is the civilized figure.

In Köhler's interpretation, the clear-cut roles of the original myth are destabilized. The Medea myth has long fascinated artists and writers, notably for Medea's infamous act of killing her own children after Jason abandons her. "Gavagai" invites audiences to reconsider these archetypal characters and their motivations within a new cultural and geographical context.

The film is described as an intellectual pleasure, suggesting a thoughtful and complex engagement with the source material. Maren Eggert stars as Medea, and Jean-Christophe Folly plays Nourou, the character embodying Jason. Their performances are central to exploring the nuanced dynamics presented in this Senegalese retelling.