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Logline

Africa Told by Us: Mali Kadi follows Madou Elijah Diarrassouba, a young African American man rediscovering his Malian heritage, and Reshena Burch, a Black woman seeking a deeper connection to Africa. Together, they journey through Mali to uncover history, challenge stereotypes, and explore identity and cultural empowerment.

Synopsis

“Mali Kadi” is Episode One of Africa Told By Us, a documentary series exploring identity, culture, and connection across the African Diaspora.

The episode follows Madou Elijah Diarrassouba as he returns to Mali for the first time in years to reconnect with a part of himself he spent much of his life avoiding. Raised in North Carolina by a Malian father and American mother, Madou grew up between two cultures and was bullied for being African. Football became his escape and a place where he felt accepted. After his football career ends and the death of a family member forces him to confront unresolved feelings, he begins to question his relationship with his father, his heritage, and himself.

He is joined by Reshena Burch, a Black American woman from Georgia looking to understand a part of her identity she has never experienced firsthand. Growing up with images of Africa centered around poverty and struggle, Reshena arrives in Mali with questions about what connection to her ancestral home will actually feel like.

Together, they experience Mali beyond the narratives they grew up with. Through family, food, music, tradition, and everyday life, they begin to see the country and themselves differently.

“Mali Kadi” is the beginning of a larger journey to reconnect with Africa, understand where we come from, and discover what that connection can mean.
 

Meet the Filmmakers

Madou Elijah Diarrassouba — Director/producer
Madou Elijah Diarrassouba (Soub) is a director, producer, and writer from Greensboro, North Carolina whose work focuses on shining a light on underrepresented people and the stories behind the surface. A former athlete, he got into filmmaking with a focus on humanizing athletes beyond their performance, a perspective that continues to shape his character driven storytelling.

His work spans sports, television, and documentary film. He has served as an assistant director on Amazon Prime’s #1 documentary, Soul Power, shadowed director Keesha Sharp on FOX’s Our Kind of People, and produced and directed a documentary series for Appalachian State University centered on the personal stories of student athletes. He also wrote Black Men Don’t Cry, part of the Three Colors: Pan African trilogy, which won the Grand Jury Prize at ABFF 2026 and Best Narrative Feature at Slamdance 2026.

At the center of Madou’s work is a desire to give underrepresented people space to be seen, heard, and understood. He brings that same approach to Africa Told By Us, a newly created documentary series exploring identity, culture, and connection across Africa and the Diaspora through authentic, personal stories.

Reshena Burch — Producer
Reshena Burch is a producer and production executive with more than a decade of experience across film, television, documentaries, live events, and branded entertainment. With a background spanning both creative and operational leadership, she brings a comprehensive understanding of how projects move from concept through execution.

Her producing work includes the documentary series Africa Told By Us, as well as narrative and documentary projects including Authentic Fatty, Gold Bug, Mirrors, and Hope for Happiness. Her experience extends beyond producing into production management, budgeting, crew leadership, scheduling, logistics, creative development, and large-scale production operations.

Having worked on major studio and network productions for Paramount, Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney, Warner Bros., Sony, A24, and others, Reshena has developed a strong ability to lead teams, manage complex productions, and bridge the creative and logistical sides of storytelling.

She is particularly passionate about developing culturally meaningful stories, building collaborative creative teams, and creating work that connects audiences across communities.

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Contact

For inquiries, please contact [email protected].