Félicité

This film is a classic film about life in the cultural setting of the Congo. I was concerned this would be an emotionally heavy movie for no reason but it turned out to be an intriguing and at times even gripping film about life for what could have easily been one of us, a neighbor, or family member. You feel a connection to the characters and an affection for their imperfect perfections in just being people. What makes this a classic versus just a good film was the quality of the acting. In classic films where body language and relationship development are centered and words are reserved to emphasize the moment this film ensures you are watching every move of the characters as much as listening for what is said next. I'd recommend this film to anyone who enjoys the art of cinema.

Seen at the Berlinale 2017, and part of the official Competition for the Golden Bear. Better still, director Alain Gomis won the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize, awarded by the Berlinale 2017 International Jury. I assume that lead performer Félicité (Véro Tshanda Beya Mputu) has also something to do with delivering such a compelling movie, despite its minor imperfections (minimal budget? non-pro actors?), and losing most of its steam after the hunt for money to pay the hospital bills.

Apart from personal dramatic developments, I have all reasons to assume we get a realistic portrait of contemporary Congo. What we see in hospitals, on the streets and in shops looks like what we can expect, still informative to have it spelled out on screen. Three main protagonists carry the story very well, though the son does not talk much (with reason). I propose to count Félicité's fridge as fourth protagonist, by showing odd behavior and bringing people together who would not meet otherwise, thereby several times causing some welcome relief from the depressing core story.

It is remarkable that Tabu does not expect sexual favors in return, or at least it is not shown. Yet, Tabu has a special role in addition to getting Félicité's son out of the hospital, and he does that by interacting with the son and making him feel alive and useful again, despite the crutches he must live with for the rest of his life. It is understandable that the son is in a severely low mood after his release from hospital, and it was not easy to get him out of it.

All in all, Félicité's tour in and around the city to raise money for her son's operation, is depressing but very nice as a touristic tour around the city, also serving as social commentary on its inhabitants. A personal note: I was distracted at first because of everyone calling each other Mama and Papa. It took some time to get used to it. It seems to be the standard shorthand forms for Mr and Mrs in Congo (or maybe a less formal form, like Heer and Vrouw as we remember from the dialect in our youth, a side remark that can be understood by native Dutch speakers only). I had no problems at all to sustain the 2 hours running time, as something interesting happens all the time, especially the money-raising tour that covers a considerable and important part of it.

A woman, singing in a bar. Her son having a moto accident, being serious wonded. Her effort, hard , impressive to have money for the cure of boy. A great portrait of a side of Congo realities. Impressive for cinematography - admirable close ups - and, especially, for the performance of Vero Tshanda. Beya Mputu. Violence, pain, manipulation, selfishness, cruelty, all precise reflected . A minimalistic story of survive and force of women . And high significance of self sacrifice.

I have seen African Movies before, far better than this one , f.i. Timboktoe, . There are great singers in Congo, too bad . I had expected much more of the movie. Also the story was boring, there could be much more. It gives a good sight on Congo today the big cities, with people hungry for money (the woman at the hospital taking the medicine) ...

This movie appears to be quite a melting pot and rating it proved to be quite difficult for me. We have indeed, mixed in one movie:

• a modern drama in Africa, that enables to show how life is, and what kind of struggles you meet in your daily life there,
• the portrait of a strong woman, proud but cold, that can be perceived as missing some Africa vibe,
• a poem with a wonderful, very touching character, Tabu, which combines kindness, poetry, joie de vivre and loneliness, alcool and women excess. He shows a different man from the "African" stereotype as much as Felicity differs from the standard woman, in a reverse of masculine and feminine.
• and finally some art scenes, that often come out of nowhere.

On the whole, Félicité could have been shorter without loosing impact. I'll go with a 7, mainly for the story of Félicité and Tabu. Should have been the movie focus in my opinion, with Congo neighborhood, songs, Félicité's son and of course the fridge as side characters.