Films A-Z
Pale peko bantu mambo ayikosake
Pale peko bantu mambo ayikosake
Bram Van Paesschen / Belgium / 2008 / 96 min.
The Democratic Republic of Congo has relatively high concentrations of mineral wealth. However, most of the country's inhabitants live lives that are impoverished and extremely difficult. This documentary tells the story of Issac, who dreams of studying at university though he first needs to raise the fees. Like other Congolese men, he regularly mines cobalt by hand; he then has to sell at a low price as trading in himself in the city is out of the question. During the making of the film Issac becomes its co-creator, clearly showing how the presence of the camera influences reality. The documentary shows how hard it is to fight for survival in a country where mineral wealth has more value than human life. At the same time it takes in the sensitive question of colonialism and the prejudices that remain on both sides; often the roles of lord and vassal are played out repeatedly, this time in a less conscious way, which only makes it more painful.