Rising Up at Night
Nelson Makengo
A subtle portrait of a population that, despite the challenges it faces, is reinventing itself in an environment plagued by violence, colored by the uncertainty of tomorrow, and immersed in the beauty of Kinshasa’s nights
Kinshasa, a capital of 17 million people, is plunged into darkness and insecurity, its inhabitants struggling to gain access to light. In a relentless quest, Kudi mobilizes the people of his neighborhood to buy a stolen cable to restore electricity in time for the end-of-year festivities. The committee gathers a group of mostly women and goes door-to-door to pay for the cable in the Kisenso neighborhood. At Christmas, Kudi becomes Santa Claus. Flashes of light and hope animate the streets of Kinshasa, while at Mount Mangengenge, a holy place overlooking the city, Pastor Gédéon preaches the light of Christ as the path to life and truth. In another corner of Kinshasa, Davido seeks shelter, as his house has been flooded by the Congo River. While observing the city, he sings, inhabiting a mood between discouragement and resilience. With a community of young men, he kills time by working out and dreaming of a better future.
"To an urgent and mesmerizing film that portrays the life of communities living in darkness. The film brings us closer to people that we rarely pay attention to. Here’s a film that shows what role cinema can play in revealing and expressing the human condition."
“A film which rises to the challenge of filming darkness, without ever losing sight of the daily resistance and resourcefulness of a population facing a truly difficult situation.”
Director NELSON MAKENGO
Screenplay NELSON MAKENGO
Cinematography NELSON MAKENGO
Editing Inneke VAN WAEYENBERGHE
Music BAO SISSOKO, WOUTER VANDENABEELE
Sound Design FRANCK MOKA
Sound MOIMO WEZAM
Producers DADA KAHINDO SIKU, ROSA SPALIVIERO Co-Producers FLORIAN SCHEWE, MICHEL K. ZONGO, MARIE LOGIE, SAMUEL FELLER, ISABELLE CHRISTIAENS
Co-Production FILM FIVE Berlin,
DIAM PRODUCTION Ouagadougou, AUGUSTE ORTS Brüssel, MAGELLAN FILMS Brüssel, RTBF Brüssel