Hero of the film The Story of Souleymane, actor Abou Sangaré sees his OQTF lifted and obtains a residence permit

After three requests refused, Abou Sangaré, a young Guinean living in Amiens until then in an irregular situation, and awarded at Cannes for his first role in The Story of Souleymane obtained a residence permit in France on Wednesday, we learned from his lawyer and the prefecture. “The prefect of the Somme issued him an “employee” residence permit this morning (Wednesday), valid for one year”welcomed his lawyer Claire Perinaud, confirming information fromHere Picardy.

To obtain this title, the 23-year-old young man produced a promise of employment as a mechanic and was able to benefit from the “Valls circular of 2012, regularization through work”said his lawyer. In the future he “will request renewals and may later upgrade to longer cards”she added.

The Somme prefecture then confirmed that its file, submitted in October, “included a promise of employment for the exercise of the profession of mechanic under a permanent contract”. “This will now allow me to walk in the street without fear of being arrested, without fear of an identity check, that’s why I breathe better”rejoiced Abou Sangaré to from here Picardy .

«The Story of Souleymane saved my life”

He presented his thanks to the team of The Story of Souleymane but also to the director of Picardy Heavy goods vehicles who offered him a permanent contract four years ago and who “never gave up”. «The Story of Souleymane (…) allowed me to obtain this residence permit. The Story of Souleymane saved my life” he added, while ensuring that “(his) dream was never to be an actor” more “to be a mechanic”.

Presented at the Cannes Film Festival in May, The Story of Souleymane received the jury prize and Abou Sangaré the prize for male interpretation in the Un certain regard section. The young man was recruited during a casting in Amiens to play the poignant role of a Guinean bicycle deliveryman in Paris, who prepares for his asylum application interview, in a very precarious situation.

Abou Sangaré himself was faced with three refusals of regularization. On July 24, the administrative court of Amiens validated the obligation to leave the territory imposed on him. However, “due to the integration process of the person concerned”the prefect then requested a review of his situation at the beginning of August.