L'esprit de Madjid

Directed by Ines Johnson-Spain

It is a film about Madjid: He is gay and a follower of voodoo. We meet him at his workplace; a tiny barbershop called "Prince Coiffure" in Lome where he talks about his universe which is populated by spirits of male, female and multiple sexes with who he is in contact. They define his understanding of himself in the context of social relations and offer him pragmatic solutions in his every day life. For him the representations of different genders are naturally part of the traditional believe system of voodoo. He sees a causal link between his homosexuality and his personal voodoo spirits. Madjid is regularly participating in voodoo ceremonies which signify protection, comfort, social integration, and guidance for him. He invites us to participate in one of these ceremonies.