Telema (Stand Up) work-in-progress
Dir. Sarah M. Kazadi & Rebecca Sesny
DR Congo/USA, 2015, 13 min.
French, English & Lingala w/ English subtitles

Fred Bauma is paying the price for trying to motivate the Congo’s youth to “TELEMA” which is native Lingala for “stand up.“ Imprisoned since March 15th, the 25-year-old activist managed to sneak a phone into his prison cell. He’s been communicating with his large network of fellow activists, who have vowed to keep fighting to bring tangible change to their country. With the 2016 presidential elections approaching, and President Kabila threatening to stay in power past the 2-term limit, the youth activists have one unifying goal: rally the youth to have a say in the country’s future, by any means necessary.

A Tales from Kin Productions work-in-progress
Dir. Patrick Flynn & Natacha Ikoli
DR Congo/USA, 2015, 75 min.
French & Lingala w/ English subtitles

In Kinshasa, the capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, an elected member of parliament strives to gain the support of his poor, rural constituents while pursuing his own individualistic ambitions. In the DRC, where tribalism defines social hierarchies and state service is the dominant form of wealth creation; corruption becomes the rule rather than the exception, ensnaring even the most fervent idealists. Bana Congo Oyez! presents the everyday reality of the DRC's dysfunctional leadership through the barnstorming, sloganeering election campaign of an idealistic congressman. It’s a rare glimpse into the relationship between voters and the elected representatives of a state corroded by systemic corruption. Can a politician be elected without being tainted by that corruption?

Post-screening discussion with the filmmakers

Filmmakers:

Sarah M. Kazadi is a journalist and filmmaker from the DR Congo. Her work has appeared in the NYTimes, Newsweek, CBS Sports and other news outlets. Rebecca Sesny is a filmmaker and journalist based in New York.  She has reported from East Africa and the DR Congo covering human rights.

Patrick Flynn has been editing video professionally since 1999, cutting non-fiction programming and documentaries for PBS/WNET, the New York Times, Frontline World, Vice, VH1, ABC, BBC, CNN, FOX, ESPN and various jumbotrons around the world. He has shot and produced documentaries on five continents and most recently co-produced and edited "Dead Reckoning: the judicial response to 20th Century warcrimes" with Saybrook Productions and WNET. "Bana Congo Oyez" is his first feature as a director.

Born in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Natacha Ikoli grew up in Paris, where she studied Cinema and Performing Art at L’Université de Saint-Denis. She then went to London South Bank University where she earned a B.A. in Media and Video Production. A video artist whose focus has been on documentary filmmaking and video installations, she's been based in Brooklyn since 2006. Natacha began her career in media as a video editor and producer at United Nation's Children's fund. During her 6 years at UNICEF she traveled to post-conflict and emergency countries including DRC, Haiti and Burundi, covering stories on food crisis, displacement, education, health and sanitation. Bana Congo Oyez! is her first feature as co-director and producer.

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