The prefect “delivered it to him”: Abou Sangaré, hero of the film “The Story of Souleymane” obtains a residence permit

The young Guinean who until then lived in an irregular situation in France, has just obtained a residence permit, we learned on January 8, 2025.

Abou Sangaré, a young Guinean who had been living illegally in France until then and who won an award at the Cannes Film Festival for his first role in “The Story of Souleymane”, obtained a one-year residence permit on Wednesday, we learned from his lawyer.

A promise of employment

The prefect “issued him an “employee” residence permit this morning (Wednesday), valid for one year”, his lawyer Claire Perinaud said.

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To obtain this permit, the 23-year-old, who in Amiens, in the north of France, produced a promise of employment as a mechanic and was able to benefit from a 2012 circular on regularization through work, his lawyer said.

After three refusals of regularization

Presented at the Cannes Film Festival in May, “L’Histoire de Souleymane” received the Jury Prize and Abou Sangaré the Best Actor Award in the Un Certain Regard section.

The young man had been recruited during a casting in Amiens to play the poignant role of a Guinean bicycle delivery man in Paris, who is preparing for his asylum application interview, in a very precarious situation.

Abou Sangare himself was faced with three refusals of regularization.

On July 24, the administrative court of Amiens had validated the obligation to leave the territory imposed on him.

However, “due to the person concerned's integration path”, the prefect had then requested a review of his situation at the beginning of August.