David Diop’s award-winning novel At Night All Blood is Black is still creating quite the buzz.  The French-Senegalese actor Omar Sy recently did a stage reading of parts of the book. Sy is the Netflix sensation featured in the hit series Lupin. The performance, titled “Soul Brother,” was presented at The Festival of Avignon.

Sy shared news of his performance on Instagram: “Last night, I read David Diop’s “Brother of Soul” on stage at the @festivalavignon accompanied on stage by the wonderful @icekreamy whom I thank for his presence by my side and kindness.”

With this performance, Sy graces the theater stage for the first time, an experience he describes as “an exceptional moment” while thanking “Diop for his important work.” At Night All Blood is Black tells the story of Senegalese soldiers fighting in the first world war. Diop won the 2021 Booker Prize award for the novel.

The book was adapted for stage reading by Catherine Schaub who notes “the beauty of [the novel’s] language” and how it channels “the absurdity of war, responsibility, brotherhood, revenge, forgiveness.”

Diop attended the event. Also in attendance was Maïmouna Doucouré, another Senegalese filmmaker known for the Netflix hit titled Cuties.

See photos from the event below. All photos via Omar Sy’s Instagram page.