“Atlantiques” tells the story of a young woman from Dakar, whose fast-paced lifestyle is disrupted by the sudden disappearance of her lover. He is soon believed to be dead, especially as bodies of some of his friends start to wash up on a Dakar beach. It’s thought that they must have gone to sea in one of the many boats (known locally as pirogues) that leave Senegal’s shores, crossing the Atlantic to Europe in a treacherous journey as the passengers seeking better prospects.