Orango

Staniel Ferreira and Samuel Kay Forrest tackle the subject of generational trauma in their pseudo-documentary feature, Orango. After 17 years away from his homeland of Guinea-Bissau, Eny (Staniel Ferreira), an artist living in Berlin, embarks with his sister, Titina, on a life-changing journey home. Prompted by their mother’s passing, the siblings return to reconnect with their roots and uncover the legacy left behind. Eny’s quest for understanding begins with dreams of his childhood village, leading him to the island of Orango, where he must confront his estranged father.

While in Orango, Eny navigates through the flood of the memories of his homeland. He struggles with feelings of belonging and alienation. Conversations with his sister bring back the pain of abandonment, while casual chatter with villagers and family offers insight into the generational wounds of his father’s physical abuse. His father’s emotionally distant nature, marked by failed relationships with his numerous wives and children and an inability to show affection, stands in stark contrast to Eny’s need for closure and healing. All Eny knows is that he has to confront his father in order to move on with his life.

When Eny’s conversation with his father doesn’t go as expected, he chooses to explore a different path centered on his mother. Feeling the anger and guilt of watching his mother stay with a violent man, Eny journeys to West Africa to his mother’s homeland of Dakar and speaks to relatives about a very different life she lived in Senegal.

“…a poignant story of heritage, healing, and self-discovery.”

The making of Orango is just as fascinating as its story, as the film is as much a documentary as a drama. It is a raw, captivating exploration of family and identity that blurs the lines between fiction and reality. Eny is the slightly fictionalized story of the film’s star and co-writer, Staniel Ferreira. Eny follows Ferreira’s journey and casts many of his friends and family in what seems to be a recreation of his true journey home to Guinea-Bissau.

Watching the film, I could have sworn it was a genuine documentary with filmed inserts of Eny and his German girlfriend, Juliet. What a testament to an entire crew of actors without acting experience to make every conversation and discussion feel authentic. I’ve seen my fair share of mockumentaries that string together an improvised conversation here and there, but for some reason, I fully bought into the story.

We follow Eny’s difficult path to reconciliation as he revisits the places that hold painful memories of the war, family conflicts, and childhood neglect. Through this journey, Eny faces the complexities of his identity as a son of Bissau and as a foreigner, revealing a poignant story of heritage, healing, and self-discovery. Ultimately, it’s also about where Eny will go next in life.

Orango masterfully captures the pain and beauty of returning home and coming face-to-face with the past. Ferreira’s authentic journey—layered with raw emotion, insight, and nuanced performances—grips the audience, blurring the lines between fiction and reality. For those ready to explore the complexities of family, identity, and heritage, Orango is a powerful story of healing and self-discovery.