The first black female director in competition at the Cannes Film Festival has said she was inspired by her "need to see black people on screen".
French-Senegalese Mati Diop made history on Thursday when Atlantics became the first film made by a woman of African descent to be screened in the festival's 72 year history.
Diop said she was "moved" but also "a little sad" at the achievement.
"It's pretty late and it's incredible that it is still relevant," she said.
"My first feeling to be the first black female director was a little sadness that this only happened today in 2019.
"I knew it as I obviously don't know any black women who came here before. I knew it but it's always a reminder that so much work needs to be done still."
She added: "As a black woman I really missed black figures and black characters.
"It's why I needed to make this film, I needed to see black people on screen - it was an urgent need.
Diop (centre) and her Atlantics cast attended the film's premiere
The Wolof-language movie tells the haunting tale of a group of boys lost at sea off the coast of Dakar, seen through the eyes of a troubled young Muslim woman, Dana.
Diop hopes her historic feat will afford more black women the opportunity to bring their stories to the silver screen.
"When you feel your own little story meets the bigger story, the feeling is that it doesn't belong to you, which is quite moving really.
"If for some young black female film directors I can represent a new dynamic, I'm obviously extremely happy.