In 2003, at the peak of the military coup in Guinea-Bissau, a legendary trio of mercenaries, the Bangui Hyenas from West Africa, are tasked with transporting Mexican drug lord Felix’s gold bars. They crash-land in a delta in Sine-Saloum, Senegal, and flee to a secluded Baobab camp that their leader Chaka happens to know. But Chaka soon starts having nightmares in the seemingly peaceful camp, and before long, an unknown dark power attacks the camp. Saloum is the second feature film by Jean-Luc Herbulot, a leading director of African genre films. Set in modern Africa, its politics and environments, the film showcases the director’s passion and strength in crossing various genres, including crime noir, action, monster, folk horror, and even Westerns. Although small in scale, Saloum raises expectations about African genre films that present the local culture to the global market. (Jin PARK)