SMU World Languages & Literatures

05/18/2026

On May 22, we hosted with Alliance Française de Dallas a special screening of “Motherland” (2026), a short film by Senegalese filmmaker Johanna Mabaki, who was present for a discussion following the screening. The documentary premiered at the African Film Festival in NY on May 17, and we were thrilled to be the second venue in the US!

“Motherland” explores questions of memory, migration, artistic expression, and diasporic identity through the story of African American ballerina Sabrina Marie Ramsey. Sabrina, her family, and the dancers featured in the project were also in attendance for this exceptional Dallas screening, which was followed by a conversation focused on questions of memory, migration, transmission, and artistic expression within francophone and diasporic spaces.

05/11/2026

05/11/2026

Register here: https://cglink.me/2vb/r394353

05/08/2026

Join the Department of World Languages on Friday, May 22 at 5:30 p.m. for a special screening of Motherland (2026), a short film by Senegalese filmmaker Johanna Mabaki, who will be present for a discussion following the screening. Premiering first at the New York African Film Festival on May 17, Motherland explores questions of memory, migration, artistic expression, and diasporic identity through the story of African American ballerina Sabrina Marie Ramsey. Sabrina, her family, and the dancers featured in the project will also be in attendance for this exceptional Dallas screening. We hope you will join us for what promises to be a rich and engaging conversation around francophone and diasporic cultures. Here is a brief synopsis of the film: “I left my mother’s country, just as she had before me. It was in the heart of Harlem that I met Sabrina. An African American ballerina, she was the first in her family to leave the South for the Big Apple. She shared with me how dance had freed her from her maternal homeland.” This screening promises to open a particularly rich conversation around questions of memory, migration, transmission, and artistic expression within francophone and diasporic spaces. Register here: https://cglink.me/2vb/r394352

📍 Check-in begins at 5:30 PM
🎬 Screening at 6:00 PM
💬 Q&A at 6:30 PM

05/08/2026

Join the Department of World Languages at the SMU Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences and Alliance Française de Dallas for a special screening of "Motherland" (2026), a short film that explores questions of memory, migration, artistic expression, and diasporic identity through the story of African American ballerina Sabrina Marie Ramsey. The filmmaker, Johanna Makabi, along with Sabrina and the dancers featured in the project, will be in attendance. Register here: https://smu360.smu.edu/WLL/rsvp_boot?id=394352

05/03/2026

04/26/2026

Join the Fulbright Association-Dallas Chapter for our annual Fulbright send off as we congratulate our 2026 semi-finalists and grantees!