Ima (film)

Ima is a 2022 French romantic comedy film directed by Nils Tavernier and co-written with Richard Bean and Laurent Bertoni, based on an original idea by the French-Congolese singer Dadju, who also stars in the lead role. The film was shot in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and released theatrically in France on 11 May 2022.[1][2][3]

Plot

Dadju, a popular French music artist, returns to his native Kinshasa for a concert. Laetitia, one of his most devoted fans, is disappointed to learn that tickets are sold out. She convinces her father to pull strings through his wealthy employer to arrange a private performance. The businessman agrees, hoping to impress Ima, Laetitia’s sister. During this intimate concert, Dadju is instantly drawn to Ima, setting the stage for a cross-cultural romance.[4]

Cast

Production

The film was officially announced in July 2021 during the Cannes Film Festival, where Dadju revealed he was preparing his acting debut in a romantic comedy directed by Nils Tavernier.[8][9] Filming began later that month in Kinshasa and was completed in approximately 30 days. The production faced logistical challenges, including curfews due to the COVID-19 pandemic and extreme weather conditions.[9]

The cast was gradually revealed over several months. In February 2022, actress Karidja Touré joined the project,[10] followed by comedian Djimo in April 2022.[11][12][13]

Release

The first trailer for Ima was released in March 2022.[14][12] The film premiered on 5 May 2022 at the Gaumont Champs-Élysées cinema in Paris[15] and had its nationwide release in France on 11 May 2022.[16]

Music

The original soundtrack was composed by Dadju, along with Meïr Salah and Yaacov Salah. Music plays a central role in the film, blending narrative and performance elements to reflect Dadju’s musical identity.[17][18]

Reception

Ima received mixed reviews from critics. Véronique Cauhapé of Le Monde described it as “a photo-novel for fans of the rapper,”[19] while Nicolas Didier of Télérama noted that the film “turns into an exercise in self-celebration,” criticizing its flat direction and missed musical opportunities.[20]

References

  1. ^ "Dadju élégant à l'avant-première de son film «IMA», face à Karidja Touré". parismatch.com (in French). 2022-05-06. Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  2. ^ "Cinéma : tourné à Kinshasa, le film « IMA » de Dadju contribue à l'émancipation de la femme et à la protection de l'environnement". Actualite.cd (in French). 2022-05-23. Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  3. ^ "À l'Affiche ! - Dadju : "Dans IMA, j'ai voulu montrer une Kinshasa bouillonnante et pleine d'avenir"". France 24 (in French). 2022-05-12. Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  4. ^ a b "Gironde. Un mini-concert de Dadju diffusé dans les cinémas pour le film "Ima"". actu.fr (in French). 2022-04-25. Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  5. ^ ""20h30 le dimanche" avec Dadju et Claude Lelouch". Franceinfo (in French). 2022-04-20. Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  6. ^ "Agde : avant-première du film Ima suivie du showcase de Dadju au cinéma Le Travelling - Hérault Tribune". www.herault-tribune.com (in French). Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  7. ^ Sène, Khadija (2022-05-11). "Dadju dans "Ima", son premier film : Quand le chanteur devient acteur, aujourd'hui au cinéma (Bande annonce)". Senenews - Actualité au Sénégal, Politique, Économie, Sport (in French). Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  8. ^ Rédaction, La (2021-07-10). "Dadju / Festival de Cannes : la star annonce son prochain rôle dans un film (vidéo)". L-FRII (in French). Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  9. ^ a b "Dadju à Cannes: l'artiste annonce un énorme projet au cinéma!". NRJ.fr (in French). 2021-07-12. Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  10. ^ rédaction, La (2022-05-11). "Le chanteur Dadju fait ses premiers pas devant la caméra: "Je veux faire passer des valeurs grâce au divertissement"". Nice-Matin (in French). Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  11. ^ Belgique, N. R. J. "Dadju débarque au cinéma !". www.nrj.be (in French). Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  12. ^ a b "Sortiraparis.com : Les meilleures sorties restaurant, cinéma, spectacle, théâtre, concert, musée, balade, soirée à Paris et Ile de France". www.sortiraparis.com. Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  13. ^ Purepeople (2022-04-05). "Dadju devient acteur : son premier film "Ima" débarque très bientôt au cinéma". www.purepeople.com. Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  14. ^ Dadju: «Ima», son premier film, a sa bande-annonce! (in French). 2022-03-28. Retrieved 2025-05-18 – via www.nrj.fr.
  15. ^ "Dadju dévoile la bande-annonce de son film "Ima" avec un extrait inédit : regardez !". www.chartsinfrance.net (in French). 2022-03-30. Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  16. ^ "Dadju: son film «Ima» sortira le …". NRJ.fr (in French). 2022-02-17. Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  17. ^ "« IMA » : le film sur Dadju sort le 11 mai 2022". Music In Africa (in French). 2022-02-18. Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  18. ^ "Dadju : un film et un nouvel album pour continuer ses combats". Le Télégramme (in French). 2022-05-12. Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  19. ^ "« Suis-moi, je te fuis », « Un visa pour la liberté », « L'Eté nucléaire », « Duke »… Les films à voir" (in French). 2022-05-11. Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  20. ^ ""Ima", la romance musicale à Kinshasa, enchaîne les fausses notes". www.telerama.fr (in French). 2022-05-12. Retrieved 2025-05-18.
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