Synopsis

Senegalese pop sensation Youssou N’Dour has spent the last 20 years in the spotlight as a world-renowned musician and the iconic representative “voice of Africa”. At the height of his career, Youssou became frustrated by the negative perception of his Muslim faith and composed Egypt, a deeply spiritual album dedicated to a more tolerant view of Islam. It was a critical and career-defining moment. N’Dour’s brave musical message was wholeheartedly embraced by Western audiences but ignited serious religious controversy in his homeland of Senegal. Combining unprecedented images of Senegal’s most sacred Muslim practices, vibrant concert performances filmed around the world, and intimate access to N’Dour and his family, Youssou N’dour: I Bring What I Love chronicles the difficult journey Youssou must undertake to assume his true calling. Youssou N’Dour is a voice of hope and tolerance, a modern day moral and political leader whose message transcends music but remains grounded in the universality of faith. Part explosive documentary, part stirring drama, Youssou N’Dour: I Bring What I Love is an unforgettable musical journey with an artist whose courage and conviction shook the music industry and ultimately awakened the world. The film opens the door to a life filled with hope that began humbly, with a respect for his family’s storytelling tradition and the desire to share his joy of music, and rose to become one of [Time] magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World. ​​​​

Director

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  • Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi
  • A director and producer with Hungarian, Chinese, and Brazilian heritage, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi grew up in New York and Rio de Janeiro. She studied Comparative Literature at Princeton University. Her documentary Ordinary Lives about young people in Kosovo who came of age during the war won Best Documentary at the 2003 Tribeca Film Festival. She has received scholarships from the Ford Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, and Greve Foundation. Youssou N’Dour: I Bring What I Love is her first feature documentary.