Teaser - No Traveler Returns
A young African immigrant's struggles to adjust to life in America push him towards an existential crisis.
Director Biography - Ellie Foumbi
Ellie Foumbi is an actor/writer/director from Cameroon. She holds an MFA from Columbia University’s School of the Arts in Directing. Her films have screened at several international film festivals, as well as placed in the Student Academy Awards Semifinals and been nominated for an African Movie Academy Award. She was invited to participate in New York Film Festival’s prestigious Artist Academy. She's is a Tribeca Film Institute Alumni and Film Independent Screenwriting Lab Fellow. Ellie made her TV directorial debut on BET’s hip-hop anthology, Tales. She is a finalist of the 2019/2020 Venice Biennale Cinema College with her first feature which will be presented at the 77th Venice International Film Festival in 2020.
Director Statement
I was particularly struck by the fall 2017 terror attack in NYC, which occurred on the West Side Highway. I watched the news coverage in shock as the assailant wandered aimlessly between cars. I asked myself, "what would push someone to such a low point where they are not only ready to take innocent lives but throw away their own as well." As I listened to more details about this man's background, I was uncomfortable to learn how much his immigrant story mirrored my own. I became increasingly interested in exploring the immigrant experience in the backdrop of this current political climate and taking a peek into the mind of someone considering committing such a cowardly and destructive act. The parallels between this person's state and Hamlet jumped out at me. I wanted to interweave this soliloquy into the story to give it a more universal angle and broaden the context in which the main character's actions could be considered. In order to personalize this story even more, I decided to enlist the help of my family members to bring this story to life. My cousin, Dawuda Jabbie, plays the lead role, along with my aunt, Fatouma and her kids, who are featured in the apartment scenes at the beginning of the film.
I chose to shoot in black and white in order to heighten the main character’s dilemma as he must choose between (light-life) and (dark-death). The film is shot in a classical style: still frames, little to no camera movement. This was also somewhat dictated by our budget because our access to equipment was limited. It was exciting to turn these challenges into strengths. The work of Ousmane Sembene, particularly his acclaimed film, Black Girl, was a very strong influence in the visual style and tone of No Traveler Returns. This is evident through the brooding lead character who says next to nothing but whose internal life we are given access to through his voice over and poignant close-ups.
I have no idea what really pushes someone to the brink of self-destruction. However, it is my sincere hope that this film will open up a more candid dialogue about the root cause of terrorism and the vulnerability of young men who may feel slighted by society or their community.
No Traveler Returns will have its world premiere at the 2019 Santa Barbara International Film Festival.