The seventh edition of the European film festival opened on Thursday May 18 in Kinshasa with the screening of the hit film from the late 1980s, “La vie est belle”, co-directed by Congolese Mweze Ngagura and Belgian filmmaker Benoît Lamy, starring Congolese music star Papa Wemba. This screening is significant for the organizers who consider the restoration of the film as the second release of the feature film after that of 1986.
The objective of the festival, which will be held over a period of one week, is to bring together the Congolese public and professionals of European, African and Congolese documentary cinema. It places particular emphasis on documentary films, given the increased success this genre has enjoyed in Congo in recent years.
On the sidelines of the festival, workshops on acting are led by Congolese actress, producer and director Nancy Adjani. The latter wishes to see more women evolve in the cinema sector and not only as actresses but also in the fields of direction, production and other facets of this profession which also require more women.
The story of “La vie est belle” shows a rich collaboration between Congolese and European artists, offering an opportunity to celebrate this connection through the European film festival. The organizers also plan to organize the festival in Goma, Bukavu, and Lubumbashi in the French institutes and the Wallonia-Brussels center.
In short, this year’s edition is an opportunity for Congolese film lovers to discover a piece of the country’s cultural history through the work of Congolese and European artists.