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Yao Yao Trailer
Philippe Godeau

Yao

 6.4

From his village in northern Senegal, Yao is a 13-year-old boy ready to do anything to meet his hero: Seydou Tall, a famous French actor. Invited to Dakar to promote his new book, the latter goes to his country of origin for the first time. To fulfill his dream, the young Yao organizes his fugue and brave 387 kilometers alone to the capital. Touched by this child, the actor decides to flee his obligations and to accompany him home. But on the dusty and uncertain roads of Senegal, Seydou understands that while rolling towards the village of the child, it also rolls towards its roots.

  • Director: Philippe Godeau
  • Main Cast: Omar Sy, Lionel Louis Basse
  • Soundtrack: Matthieu Chedid
  • Cinematography: Jean-Marc Fabre
  • Screenplay: Philippe Godeau, Agnès de Sacy


What do critics in other countries think?

International reviews

6 foreign reviews of Yao (2018)

  • 1. Dagens Nyheter
    3 / 5

    Translated from swedish: "Yao" is a French feel-good film about a teenage boy and a rootless movie star who returns home to Senegal. Sickeningly sweet but watchable story about an unexpected friendship.
    - Eva af Geijerstam

    Swedish: dn.se »

  • 2. SVT
    3 / 5

    Translated from swedish: It's charming and in many ways worth seeing, literally so with the picture-perfect cinematography that presents a different image of Africa than what's typically broadcast in Western news, and both Omar Sy and young newcomer Lionel Basse bring their underwritten characters to life, but the story moves forward as reluctantly as the odd couple's rickety car.
    - Fredrik Sahlin

    Swedish: svt.se »

  • 3. Sveriges Radio
    3 / 5

    Translated from swedish: Feel-good movie that's a bit rough around the edges, but "Yao" has a certain charm to it.
    - Björn Jansson

    Swedish: sverigesradio.se »

  • 4. Nöjesguiden
    3 / 6

    Translated from swedish: "Yao" is a feel-good story about the search for identity and belonging. You'd be hard-pressed to find a more heartwarming film.
    - Nora Makander

    Swedish: ng.se »

  • 5. Cinetaste
    2 / 5

    Translated from swedish: There are small glimpses in the film like Fatoumata Diawara as Gloria, Lionel Louis Basse as Yao, and the African settings. But it's not enough to keep interest alive during this somewhat dreary road trip that feels all too familiar at its core.
    - Linus Andersen

    Swedish: cinetaste.se »

  • 6. Kulturbloggen
    4 / 10

    Translated from swedish: The film's theme of finding home and discovering one's ancestral roots sounds compelling on paper. Here, French director Philippe Godeau could have made an engaging film about the situation that thousands of people live in today - second-generation immigrants who grew up without knowing their parents' country and culture.
    - Mariko Komaki

    Swedish: kulturbloggen.com »



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World-Wide Box Office Revenue

Box Office

Yao has earned a total of 4 017 253 dollars from cinemas across the world (the global box office).