Rising Up at Night

Director’s statement

In 2018, the Congolese government abruptly announced the signing of an “exclusive development agreement” to realise a project called the “Great Dam,” which is intended to provide a large portion of the African continent with electricity and light. This announcement was followed by a fraught electoral process and the first peaceful transfer of power from the outgoing president to the newly elected leader. It was within this context that I decided to film the nights of Kinshasa, which, even when it is blanketed in darkness is far from being asleep. In fact, Kinshasa is never asleep – it is a city that is perpetually resilient, always trying to provide what is necessary to sustain the few night owls who are unafraid to brave the darkness in search of what they need to survive the feverish reign of the night. In a society where violence, extreme poverty and corruption are king, and where religious faith is a means of alleviating popular discontent, this film bears witness to the courage of these men and women who are resisting the obscurity in which my country finds itself. It is this self-illumination through which beauty can be found.