Diop and I cover everything from the film’s reception, to the paranormal, to her experience at Cannes as the first Black woman to compete for the coveted Palme d'Or , and the first to win the Grand Prix, the festival’s second-highest honour. It’s the latter topic that has Diop worried she’ll come across as callous since, as grateful as she is, she’s also wrestling with the spotlight on her race. Weaving in and out of English and her native French, Diop tells me she’s still processing what it means to make history and to have to constantly talk about her Blackness. I can tell she’s still a bit uneasy with the subject, but she’s also candid and relatable. She’s not reading a PR-proofed script. She’s just a director trying to make sense of her identity in the industry while also promoting her movie. I don’t think she has to worry she’ll “sound like a bitch” (except maybe for the not-so-subtle shot she throws at Beyoncé). In fact, based on how good Atlantics is (the film hits Netflix this Friday), I'd say the only thing Diop has to worry about is the inevitable flood of accolades and press coming her way.