2023-06-22 16:38:39
In May at the Cannes Film Festival, the film “Augure” won the “2023 New Voice Award”. Thursday in Kinshasa, its producers and director hoped that it will help revive a struggling film industry in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“Augure”, which traces the story of four characters considered to be sorcerers, is signed by Baloji, a protean artist – rapper, poet, stylist, filmmaker – born 44 years ago in the former Zaire but living in Belgium since his early childhood.
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Before its theatrical or festival release, the film, most of which was shot in the DRC, is presented in Kinshasa where three screenings are scheduled until Saturday evening.
The prize won at Cannes “gives enormous visibility to our cinema”said at a press conference Emmanuel Lupia, Congolese co-producer, alongside Baloji and Belgian producer Benoît Roland. “We have been fighting for a few years to try to create a film industry here in Congo”he added.
The DRC government, whose delegation walked the famous red carpet of the festival with the film crew, pledged its support. “We hope that Congolese cinema will shine more, as was the case” in the past, continued Emmanuel Lupia.
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Among the reasons for the decline of cinema in the huge African country with its turbulent history, the Congolese producer cited the lack of freedom under Mobutu Sese Seko (1965-1997). “A lot of filmmakers found themselves in exile and continued their careers abroad”he explained. “And the rooms ceased to exist, because economically they might not hold”.
Belgian and Congolese producers called for the “structuring of the audiovisual and cinematographic industry”.
It would take a “national directorate of cinema”according to Emmanuel Lupia, with a kind of one-stop shop that would facilitate filming. “We had difficulties, for example, to obtain visas for the Belgian team, to import and re-export equipment, to travel to the DRC”, he detailed. The team also had a very unpleasant surprise when their authorization to film in a mine was withdrawn at the last minute.
Because of such hindrances, “many films whose stories take place in the Congo are not shot here”lamented Emmanuel Lupia.
However, supported Benoît Roland, “there’s everything you need… an absolutely insane amount of sets and capable technicians”. Other countries were in the same situation but “structured”, like Greece which, according to him, now welcomes “dozens of American shoots”.
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