Silent Legacy

A citizen of the world often begins to long for their roots—for something tangible, like tree roots embedded in soft earth.
Sibiry Konate, a dance artist and immigrant working in
Finland, lives between two worlds. In snowy Pasila, loneliness, isolated homes, and the wintery climate turn his thoughts toward his native country, Burkina Faso.

In Burkina Faso, he dreams of Finland, a Western country blessed with opportunity and money. As his identity is split between two geographical locations, self-expression becomes possible only through dance.

Sibiry wants to help the impoverished residents of his home village. He plans to buy a van in Finland and transport it to Burkina Faso. Things, however, are not as simple as they first appear, and his personal homecoming becomes bittersweet as Sibiry confronts the complexity of both his roots and acts of selflessness.

This documentary by Jenni Kivistö and Jussi Rastas sheds light on an important subject: the immigrant experience.
The viewer gets to follow a personal journey to the core of their own identity and moral compass—a journey that grows from a personal trajectory into a reflection on universal questions. Can we help others selflessly? How can we act as moral beings in a time that emphasizes self-interest? Can art bridge the gap between cultures?

The documentary interjects peaceful, deeply human encounters with Sibiry’s dance performances that carry the spirit of Burkina Faso into wintry Finland. The hypnotic, raw vitality of the choreographies opens a window into Sibiry’s soul, which flows lightly yet unyieldingly through contradictions and challenges. Rather than a racialised immigrant, what appears on screen is the spirit of movement itself—spreading good will from heart to heart.

Joonas Kallonen

Jenni Kivistö and Jussi Rastas will attend the film screening on 6 Feb.