An immersive experience of life on the dark side of Kinshasa – where, after the recent floods, electricity is non-existent and daily life is challenging, yet sense of community and faith remain strong. Although the stories told in this powerful documentary are down-to-earth, filmmaker Nelson Makengo manages to elevate them to an almost ethereal experience through editing, gorgeous cinematography and an intuitive, haunting score.
The film begins at night, in near pitch blackness, on a boat that floats through the parts of Kinshasa that are repeatedly flooded when heavy rains cause the Congo River to overflow its banks. The people on the boat can only be seen through the flashlights that have become an important part of life in the Congolese capital.
It quickly becomes clear that the lack of electricity is a major problem as we follow some of the main characters through their daily struggles. Most of the conversations and efforts are spent trying to solve the energy crisis caused by the incessant rains, exacerbated, of course, by an era of corruption – power cables are out of order or missing due to the many gangs that loot anything of value.
As people try to get back on their feet, the radio is filled with news of the construction of what will be Africa’s largest power plant, largely funded by foreign investors. When completed, this hugely ambitious and prestigious project will provide electricity to 80 billion people, the reports say.
It is a far cry from the current situation, where people cook, eat and sleep in waist-deep water – the filmmaker shows a family living in a completely flooded house as if it were commonplace. The children wash their faces with collected rainwater, while the water in the house reaches up to their elbows. The beds are on risers made of cans and wooden blocks. ‘We’ve already fallen into the water at night,’ laughs the mother of the house.
Other scenes show the people of the neighbourhood gathering to raise money for a new communal electricity cable. The mothers decide to take charge of the safekeeping of the money, as they have already contributed elsewhere but with nothing to show for it. It is emblematic of the situation in Congo, where corruption, theft and self-enrichment are rampant.
But it is not all misery – through it all, people celebrate life, try to make ends meet, help each other and find solace in faith. Makengo transforms all these religious gatherings into a poetic, dramatic audiovisual spectacle, capturing the exuberance, devotion and hope in the often close-up faces, body movements and inspired speeches, and accompanying these gripping images with a custom-made score. The sum of these parts is infinitely greater than the whole.
The mood and the film are also lightened by the storyline of the approaching New Year’s Eve, which is shown in several scenes throughout the documentary: clever merchants prepare for the celebration by stocking up on LED lights and batteries, knowing that everyone will want to celebrate the New Year with light and fireworks. It makes for absurd and beautiful cinema: a crowd gathered around the improvised outdoor shops, pointing, commenting and grabbing as money changes hands. Santa Claus also makes a surreal appearance. With his red outfit, white beard and white mask, he looks like an out-of-place remnant of the colonial past, yet he is treated with respect and even fear.
Rising Up at Night is by no means a political film, but you can’t help but wonder how it is that the capital of this former colony lacks the most basic facilities. And how religion – another remnant of colonialism – can provide comfort, support and consolation, but also prevent people from rising up. The film gives a powerful insight into the dynamics and problems of the Congolese people.
Democratic Republic of Congo, Belgium, Germany, Burkina Faso, Qatar, 2024, 95 min
Director Nelson Makengo
Script Nelson Makengo
Producers Rosa Spaliviero, Dada Kahindo Siku
Cinematographer Nelson Makengo
Editor Inneke van Waeyenberghe
Sound Design Franck Moka
Original Music Bao Sissoko, Wouter Vandenabeele, Lode Vercampt
International Sales Square Eyes
