KINSHASA SYMPHONY

"Kinshasa Symphony" shows how people living in one of the most chaotic cities and one of the poorest countries in the world have managed to forge one of the most complex systems of human cooperation ever invented: a symphony orchestra. It is a film about the Congo, about the people of Kinshasa and about music. In the fifteen years of its existence, the Orchestre Symphonique Kimbanguiste has survived two violent coups d'état and an ongoing war that has claimed the lives of several million people. For the 200 musicians, interpreting the music of Beethoven and Handel partly on self-made instruments, is self-confirmation, artistic expression and a religious service all in one.

awards among others:
nominated for GermanFilm Award 2011
48. Chicago TV Festival Hugo Award - Golden Hugo
Salem Film Fest 2011 - Jury Award
CMJ Int. Film Festival 2010 NYC - Best Documentary
25. Bozner Filmtage - Best dokumentary, Audience Award
Les Teules Filantes Pessac, France - Audienceaward
8. Planete Doc, Warsaw, Poland - Chopin's Nose Award

festivals among others:
2010
60th Berlinale SPECIAL
The Look of the Sound Bremen
Visions du Réel, Nyon
Open Doek Film Festival, Turnhout, Belgium
Afrika Filmfestival, Leuven Belgium
25. DOK.fest Munich
Ecrans Noirs, Yaoundé, Kamerun
CONGO 2010, Pour un nouvel élan…. Hervé, Belgium
21. Internationales Filmfest Emden, Norderney, Germany
BOZAR Cinema, Centre for fine arts Brussel
3. Musikfilmtage Oberaudorf, Germany
Fünf Seen Filmfestival, Starnberg, Seefeld, Herrsching & Wörthsee, Germany
Two Riversides, Film and Art Festival, Warsaw, Poland
Esperanzah!, World Music Festival, Namur, Belgien
Flickers, Rhode Island IFF
Black Harvest Film Festival, Chicago, USA
VIFF Vancouver , Canada
33. Mill Valley Film Festival, San Rafael, Kalifornien, USA
X Int. Documentary Film Festival "Flahertiana"
CMJ Music&Film Festival, New York, USA
34th Mostra IFF, Brasil, Sao Paulo
Cinema Verité, Iran Int. Documentary Film Festival
23. IDFA, Niederlande, Amsterdam
2011
22nd PSIFF, USA, Palm Springs
10thDocPoint Helsinki & Tallinn Documentary Film Festival
SPIFF Spokane, USA
FID, Marseille, Festival Int. de Cinema, Frankreich
SKIFF Goma, DR Kongo