Yeelen
Synopsis
A young man with magical powers journeys to his uncle to request help in fighting his sorcerer father.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Yeelen Trailer - Film Review #yeelen #africancinema #africanmovies #africanfilms
Type: Trailer • Published 2022-05-15
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →Issiaka Kane
Niankoro, the Son
Balla Moussa Keita
Rouma Boll, the Fulani King
Aoua Sangare
Attou, the Young Fulani Woman
Ismaila Sarr
Bofing, the Uncle
Niamanto Sanogo
Soma / Djigui
Soumba Traore
Mah, the Mother
Koke Sangare
The Chief of Komo
Youssouf Tenin Cissé
Attou's Little Boy
Sidi Diallo
Bremira Dumbla
Seyba M'Baye
Djemori Traoré
Youssouf Coulibaly
Sibiri Kone
Toumani Soumaoro
Dounanke Traoré
Zan Doumbla
Manzon Coumare
Release History & Theatrical Window
Source: IMDB (Cannes Film Festival)
Festival / Special Debut
April 14, 1989
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Souleymane Cissé
- Screenplay & Story
- Souleymane Cissé
- Original Score
- Michel Portal, Salif Keita
- Original Title
- Yeelen
- Country of Origin
- Burkina Faso, France, Germany, Japan, Mali
- Spoken Languages
- Bambara, Fulah
- Runtime
- 1h 45m
- Production Studios
- Les Films du Carrosse, Atriascop Paris, Burkina Faso Ministry of Life and Culture, French Ministry of Cooperation and Development, Les Films Cissé, Mali Government, Midas, UTA, CNC, French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministère de la culture, WDR
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Souleymane Cissé
Souleymane Cissé
Michel Portal, Salif Keita
Jean-Michel Humeau, Jean-Noël Ferragut
Nathalie Goepfert, Seipati N'Xumalo, Jenny Frenck
Souleymane Cissé
Department Leadership Roster
Souleymane Cissé
Director
Souleymane Cissé
Writer
Nathalie Goepfert
Editor
Seipati N'Xumalo
Editor
Jenny Frenck
Editor
Kossa Mody Keita
Production Design
Seipati Keita
Editor
Jean-Michel Humeau
Director of Photography
Andrée Davanture
Editor
Souleymane Cissé
Producer
Dounamba Coulibaly
Editor
Jean-Noël Ferragut
Director of Photography
Marie-Catherine Miqueau
Editor
Kossa Mody Keita
Costume Design
Michel Portal
Original Music Composer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Yeelen.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Yeelen.
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (All editions 2003-2024). A cumulative list including films subsequently removed in later editions. Totaling 1,260 films as of Nov 2024. 《1001部死前必看的电影》（2003-2024 全版本累积版）： 包含自2003年首版至2024年11月德语版修订的所有影片。即使在后期版本中被剔除的电影也予以保留。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#019] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#418] Dekalog (1989) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-20 07:41:36 UTC+8)*
TSPDT - 1000 Greatest Films
They Shoot Pictures, Don't They? (TSPDT) - The 1,000 Greatest Films. A definitive meta-list aggregating thousands of critics' polls, historical rankings, and director top 10s to represent the ultimate critical consensus in cinema history. TSPDT 影史最伟大的1000部电影： 全球最权威的电影元榜单，由该网站汇总世界各大电影刊物历史评选结果及数千名影评人、学者的个人十佳榜单，通过算法加权计算得出的终极共识。 *片单说明：* 本片单只收录纯电影，以下剧集或迷你剧不予收录： • [#335] Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) • [#514] Twin Peaks: The Return (2017) • [#614] Edvard Munch (1974) • [#703] The Sorrow and the Pity (1969) • [#890] Elephant (1989) • [#925] Heimat (1984) • [#968] Doomed Love (1978) 以下作品在 TMDB 被拆分为多个独立电影条目；本片单按作品/章节顺序连续收录，且每个分拆条目均沿用同一 TSPDT 名次： • [#171] Dekalog (1989) — 展开为 10 部电影 • [#988] Olympia (1938) — 展开为 2 部电影 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-20 07:30:02 UTC+8)*
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Frequently Asked Questions About Yeelen
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Yeelen about?
A young man with magical powers journeys to his uncle to request help in fighting his sorcerer father.
Who directed Yeelen?
Yeelen was directed by Souleymane Cissé.
Who stars in Yeelen?
The principal cast of Yeelen includes Issiaka Kane, Balla Moussa Keita, Aoua Sangare, Ismaila Sarr, Niamanto Sanogo.
When was Yeelen released and how long is it?
Yeelen was released in 1987 with a total runtime of 1h 45m.
Who composed the musical score for Yeelen?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Yeelen was composed by Michel Portal, Salif Keita.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Yeelen?
Yeelen holds official age classifications: US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).