Debut: “Jant Yi” Presents a Troubling Reality

Set in a dystopian imagining of Senegal’s capital Dakar, Jant Yi is artist Selly Raby Kane’s call to action.

“The overexploitation of oil and gas resources are taking a heavy toll on the Senegalese population. Energy is scarce, the ambient air is saturated and unbreathable, the sun is practically hidden by a permanent dark fog.”

This message, in eerie green text, punctuates the opening scene in Jant Yi. Amid swirling blue and pink hues, the viewer is dropped into a small room. Two men in hazmat suits sit down with a host of costumed others, whose outfits range from traditional everyday Senegalese clothing to wacky, bug-eyed glasses and avant-garde costumes. The protagonist, whose dress is notably more subdued, looks up. 

“Is this all you can do for your country?” asks a costumed woman with long lashes and face glitter. “Move this body a little!”

The viewer remembers Jant Yi’s opening screen, which read,  “To power society, the government requires citizens from age 12 to generate energy from their physical activity and store it in batteries.”

The unnamed protagonist pushes back, saying, “I’m only following your example.”

“I am the system that keeps you alive,” the woman replies.

As the protagonist gathers a metal air tank and goggles, the viewer is introduced to the full scope of the dystopian system. As she interacts with more costumed “officials,” the protagonist discovers that the government plans to drill her town of Sangomar for oil. In a dark pink hue, imagined government officials warn her that her town may be the last one left with sufficient resources to sustain humanity. Kane cuts in footage of Senegal as we know it today – absent the mood lighting and glitter, the viewer realizes that the reality of Kane’s imagined Dakar is not fantastical, but rapidly approaching. 

What was introduced as a crazy, out-there setting and concept quickly becomes intertwined with reality. Kane’s introduction of actual footage nearly two-thirds of the way through the film forces the viewer to reconcile the fantasy Dakar with the reality. The idea of expending one’s body to produce energy in a world that is rapidly declining because of their society’s own actions is no longer a metaphor. 

The visuals of Kane’s Dakar feel cheap at times; coupled with pink and purple lighting and maximalist sets, some characters’ costumes feel too “costumey” and betray the film’s small budget. Some sets feel “like sets,” and at times it can distract from Kane’s efforts to immerse the viewer in a dystopia. At the end of the film, the protagonist snaps out of a sleep-induced cold sweat, indicating that the dystopia was only a dream, a fact that may excuse the low-budget visuals in the eyes of some viewers. Despite its shortcomings in production, Jant Yi keeps the viewer engaged for its full 3-minute run time. 

By the end of Jant Yi, the viewer shares in the protagonist’s distress. As she is roused from her nightmare, breathing heavily and soaked in sweat, the viewer feels a sense of relief: oh, it was just a dream. Yet, the shots of Senegal as it exists today throw this into question. Sure, Kane reveals, it was just a dream, but for how long? 

“TO BE CONTINUED,” the black screen reads, and viewers wonder if it is in fact reality that continues Jant Yi. 

Despite a slight suspension of disbelief required to engage with a few underdeveloped visuals, Jant Yi is disquieting. By immersing the viewer in an absurdist dystopia, Kane reveals how close we are to that very world. Though the costumes and aesthetics of her imagined Dakar are outlandish, the terrifying reality faced by this city is not far from our own. 

Kane, a Senegalese artist and fashion designer, was named a Next Generation Leader by Time Magazine in 2019. Though she focuses mainly on art and design, Jant Yi is not her first foray into filmmaking – her film Tang Jër won the Grand National Prize at Dakar Court Film Festival.