Amadou & Mariam – The Blind Couple From Mali
Ryan Marley / Canada / 2026 / International Premiere / 82 min
The unlikely love story of two blind Malian musicians, Amadou and Mariam, who have toured all over the world. Now they are returning home to Mali to play a big concert and record one last album.
For more than 50 years, Malian couple Amadou Bagayoko and Mariam Doumbia have been singing and making music together under the name Amadou & Mariam. They both lost their sight when they were young. They met on the streets of Mali’s capital Bamako and began making music together. Since then, the streets of Bamako have been replaced by stages at major festivals and Grammy nominations.
They have worked with big stars such as Damon Albarn of Blur, Chris Martin of Coldplay, and French artist Manu Chao. All three appear in ‘The Blind Couple from Mali’, which follows the blind couple between their homes in Paris and their home in war-torn Mali. The film culminates in a grand homecoming concert in Mali and the recording of what will be their last album. An album on which they once again blend West African music with blues, pop, and soul.
The story of Adamou & Mariam is first and foremost a love story between two hyper-musical people who, in sunglasses and stylish clothes, become global icons. And who remind us of music’s ability to transcend borders, heal and bring the world together – one beat at a time.