ZAÏRE, THE CYCLE OF SERPENT
By Thierry Michel
Synopsis
Zaire's evolution could be considered to have unfolded in four periods - each period represented by one figure: the first period is that of the men who speak of liberty, democracy and happiness; it led to independence with Lumumba which turned sour and there was unrest everywhere.
Then Tschombé, the Lion, took over by force and he spoke only of order, of a return to the rule of law; after this second period came the third, that of the Leopard who, though he spoke like a man, was a feline and thug imposed iron discipline. This enabled him to endure for years and his name is Mobutu.
The fourth period is the one we live in now. The Leopard has reached the end of this cycle and the cycle of the Serpent is beginning. The Serpent is the security service and ail those who collaborated with it to impose and maintain the dictatorship. The Serpent jacks subtlety and he will try to clamp down again and again until man revolts and speaks again of liberty and democracy and this is what is happening now in Zaire.
A coproduction Les Films de la Passerelle, Les Films d'Ici, Centre du Cinéma et de l'audiovisuel de la Communauté Française de Belgique et des distributeurs wallons, RTBF Télévision belge, VRT Canvas, VAF, YLE, TSR, VPRO - DGCD - Wallimage - EVS - XDC
Technical sheet
Year: 1992
Duration: 58' & 85'
Language: French
Screenplay & Direction: Thierry Michel
Assistants: Rhita Kafutshi & Pierre N'Tantu
Cinematography: Michel Téchy
Sound: André Brugmans
Editing: Marie-Hélène Quinton
Music: Bashila Kabongo
Producer:
Christine Pireaux - Les Films de la Passerelle
Stills
Festival selections (23)
General States of the Documentary - Lussas
World Film Festival - Montreal
International French-Language Film Festival - Namur
Geography Festival - Saint-Dié
Nominated for the Joseph Plateau Award - Ghent
International Film Festival of Amiens
Amascultura - Lisbon
Encontros International
Doc Leipzig
DocumentART 93 - Neubrandenburg
International Social Film Festival - Charleroi
International African Film Festival - Ouagadougou
Futura Award - Berlin
International Documentary Film Festival - Munich
Saint-Malo Amazing Travellers
INPUT - Bristol
International Film Festival - Calcutta
Black Movie - Geneva
Filminitiativ - Cologne
International Film Festival of Bombay
Planet of the People, Centre Georges Pompidou
Images Moreover - Paris
RECIDAK - Senegal
Awards (6)
★ Special Jury Prize - Silver Sesterce & Audience Award at the International Festival of Nyon
★ Silver Medal for Creative Documentary at URTI - Monte Carlo
★ Nanook Prize at the 12th Ethnographic Assessment in Paris
★ Golden Screen Award at the "Vues d'Afrique" Festival in Montreal
★ Certificate of Merit at the 38th Cork Film Festival - Ireland
★ Grand Prize at "Filmer à tout prix" - Brussels