The Story of Souleymane Unveils the Harsh Realities Behind Food Delivery and the Asylum System in Paris
French director Boris Lojkine’s award-winning social realist drama, The Story of Souleymane, offers a gripping, emotionally raw portrait of an undocumented Guinean asylum seeker navigating the harsh realities of life on the margins in Paris. Bookended by the anticipation and aftermath of a high-stakes immigration interview, the film captures three relentless days in the life of Souleymane (Abou Sangaré), as he chases shelter, survival, and dignity in a system stacked against him.
Souleymane, who has no legal right to work in France, rents a food delivery app account from a fellow African migrant, Emmanuel, who takes a steep cut of his earnings. The streets of Paris, far from the postcard landmarks, become a battleground — where Souleymane dodges traffic on his bike, delivers meals to indifferent customers, and races against the clock to secure a bed at a local shelter. His only fuel: coffee, and sheer desperation.
Meanwhile, he prepares for a critical asylum interview. With help from Barry, a fixer who supplies false documents and fabricated stories of torture, Souleymane memorizes a narrative deemed more “persuasive” than his real one. It’s a haunting commentary on the way the asylum system demands a simplified, marketable version of trauma.
As Souleymane is pushed to the edge — both physically and emotionally — the film lays bare the exploitative dynamics that define his world. From predatory middlemen like Barry and Emmanuel, to customers, restaurants, and gig economy platforms, The Story of Souleymane portrays a network of complicity that thrives on the invisibility and vulnerability of undocumented workers.
Yet, there are fleeting moments of humanity. The immigration officer (played by Nina Meurisse) offers a rare glimmer of empathy within a dehumanising system, and Souleymane’s phone calls with his mother and girlfriend in Guinea briefly cut through his isolation.
Abou Sangaré, a former undocumented migrant himself, delivers a remarkable debut performance that earned him a César Award for Most Promising Actor. His portrayal of Souleymane is understated yet powerful — a careful balance of resilience, fear, and longing that anchors every moment of the film.
Lojkine’s Paris is stripped of romance — no Eiffel Tower, no Seine — just the overlooked arteries of a city grinding people down. Through realistic soundscapes and a relentless pace, the film immerses viewers in Souleymane’s unyielding reality. And when the final scene arrives, stripped of sound and motion, it’s both a relief and a moment of uneasy reflection. The outcome of the interview remains unknown, but the ordeal — for now — is over.
The Story of Souleymane is now screening in selected cinemas across Australia.
