The Film Industry in the Congo
This inter
view features Christian Deka and Margaret Blair Young
The questions are from Christian Deka, a film student at the National Arts Institute in Kinshasa, DRC.
Questions in English:
1. What was your main objective with the film Heart of Africa?
The objective was to kick-start the cinema industry in the DRC. We had dear friends there and were aware of the intense poverty. We thought that film could uplift any audience and start a sustainable industry. A film making friend (who continues to help us) said that a film itself is a “communal dream.” I love that idea. Tshoper Kabambi and Bimpa Production already knew how important the story is to any film. If there’s not a good story, there will not be a good film. Tshoper proved how good Congolese cinema can be with his first successful film, Mbote.
2.How did you meet Mr. Tshoper Kabambi, and why did you choose him as the director of this project?
The person whose story inspired our film, Aime Mbuyi, introduced me to Tshoper in 2014. I had gone to Kinshasa with Danor Gerald to interview Aime and his bride, Steffy. We wanted to start the “Heart of Africa” film also. Aime took me to Tshoper’s office and I photographed the work space. Bimpa Production had made wonderful short films, but there were no dedicated cinemas in Kinshasa then, and no real training programs for filmmakers. Tshoper was laughed at when he said he wanted to be a filmmaker. His teacher said, “Don’t you realize that you’re poor? Film is for rich people.” Obviously, Tshoper has proved him wrong.
3.How did you manage to secure the budget needed for the production of the film? Could you also share, if possible, the overall budget of the film?
In all of our Congo film work, we are constrained to micro budgets–less thant 100,000 USD. We did succeed with a Kickstarter (crowd-funding) activity, and we got a grant for the film, but many of the Americans were volunteers, including me and my brother, Dell, and my husband, Bruce. We did pay the cast and primary crew, and my husband and I went into some debt. We did not anticipate a big profit from the film, and wanted only to have it help Congolese filmmakers in their own country.
4.Is the film based on a true story? If so, which one exactly?
The film is INSPIRED by a true story (that of Aime Mbuyi), but we took liberties with the story itself.
When Tshoper came into the project, he made it 
more Congolese and less American, which was a good thing. We intended this to be primarily for a Congolese audience, not an American one. Of course, the lack of infrastructure in the Congo made our decision to film there somewhat complicated.
more Congolese and less American, which was a good thing. We intended this to be primarily for a Congolese audience, not an American one. Of course, the lack of infrastructure in the Congo made our decision to film there somewhat complicated.5.Which elements of the story were added or modified compared to the true story?
We used the fact that Aime had been in a school for revolutionaries and hated colonialism. We used the fact that he was baptized while not sure if he wanted to pursue the religious life or a political life. The two main characters in the film, Ngandu and Martin, represented a real situation in the LDS Church. It had recently created companionships in Pointe Noire, RC, comprising one American and one African. The cultural issues were fascinating. All of the American missionaries loved Aime Mbuyi, and he loved them. We maintain contact with Aime and his family and visit whenever we can.
6.In your opinion, did the fact that Mr. Kabambi took on multiple roles (co-writer, co-producer, and director) serve as a strength or a weakness for the film?
It was absolutely essential. I knew the church culture, and Tshoper knew Congolese culture. He did an excellent job of making sure that the Congo was represented in every scene.
7.How did the collaboration in the writing process with Mr. Kabambi unfold?
I had already written a script before working with Tshoper, but we revised it significantly as we worked. In my version, we got more of the American’s story. In the revisions, we took it to the African perspective. A few decades ago, LDS missionaries were generally supervised by Ameri 
cans, a husband and his wife. That has changed.
cans, a husband and his wife. That has changed. Nearly all mission presidents in Africa are from the area they will supervise. My husband and I served a mission in Mbuji Mayi and the Kasai area. Our mission president, Jean-Pierre Wembo Lono, was from Kinshasa, as was his lovely wife, Angel. We had breakfast with the Lonos nearly every day, and traveled with them and other missionaries throughout the Kasai area. I learned a bit of Tshiluba, which we are using in our upcoming film, shot in Mbuji Mayi.
8.Were you fully satisfied with the final version of the film?
I am never satisfied with the final versions of any of my projects. There is always something I want to improve. I wish we had had better lighting in “Heart of Africa,” but I think the film was beautifully done. With advice from other filmmakers, careful editing, meticulous postproduction work, and an outstanding musical score, the film found its proper shape and spirit. It transported any American audiences to the Congo and told a powerful and significant story for the Congolese. Tshoper is an extraordinarily gifted filmmaker, and has been instrumental in getting the industry started. Others who worked on the film are also making their mark, such as Emmanuel Lupia and Deborah Basa Kabambi. (I think her film “Awa” is brilliant.)
9.Did the film achieve the level of success you were hoping for, both critically and with audiences?
No. The film was released in the USA on March 11th, 2020. Five days later, theaters were closed due to COVID, so the film had a very short run in only a few theaters. Tshoper was stuck with us for five months, because no flights were available to get him back to Kinshasa. During this time, my daughter had a baby boy, and my mother was dying. I was not home much to make sure that Tshoper was comfortable, but my husband took him to theaters to publicize the film and its sequel. Tshoper and Bruce also started a “Cine Club” and gathered family members to see great films. They also gardened and cooked meals together and became dear friends.
A few months after Tshoper left, the film became available on DVD, on a couple of small streaming services, and on some international airline flights. The film was not widely reviewed by critics, but the few who commented on it generally gave it high marks.
10.Why was there no distribution plan for the film in the Congolese territory? Could the film have been shown in theaters in the DRC, and what were the reasons this did not happen?
This is a fascinating question. Of course, COVID played a big part in limiting the success of the film, but it wasn’t the only thing. I did research to see what theaters in the DRC we might show the film in. It appeared to me that there were theaters in Goma and occasionally in Lubumbashi, but nowhere else. I might have been mistaken, but I did not see movie theaters even in Kinshasa. The Congolese premiere was at Show Buzz, which was just getting started. One of the challenges as the cinema industry grows there will be to establish venues for people in rural areas to see films. For this, of course, we must also offer linguistic options. “Heart of Africa” is in Lingala, French, and English. The film we are doing now–which is nearly finished–is in Tshiluba and French. We must pay attention to those in small villages who might not have the means to get to a theater, and who might not understand the dialogue. A majority of films showing via cable in the Congo come from countries like the USA, France, or India. They are either subtitled or dubbed into French. It is wonderful to see the Congolese film industry develop. I am excited about its prospects.
What did we gain from the experience of doing “Heart of Africa”?
We got to see how industry professionals work, how they distribute, how they publicize, how they collaborate. Collaboration is a key to the success of any film, and also a key to a better future in the Congo. Competition will divide and isolate artists, but collaboration will strengthen everybody.
I will be using everything I learned from making “Heart of Africa” as we release “Joseph and Simeon.” I am looking at niche audiences in Europe and the USA. There are many Congolese refugees throughout the world who would surely like to see films from their native nation. Since our story is Biblical, we can also tap into the faith-based market.
Theaters in other African countries are also developing their cinema industries. We hope to show the upcoming film in South Africa, Tanzania, Ghana, Nigeria, Gabon, Uganda, Rwanda, Madagasgar, Benin, Senegal, etc. I will do what I can, but I am also a wife, mother, and grandmother. My life’s emphasis is on my children, so film making will not be my first priority. This is an area where MANY Africans can collaborate and keep each other mutually informed. As filmmakers from various nations meet each other, they should be discussing the path to distribution between the countries. We are lucky in that we can use the internet to transfer films from one place to another. This is obviously not the case with minerals, which often involve the black market in their distribution.
Whoever comprises a multi-national team for distribution must also employ social media experts and become familiar with all potential assets for filmmakers, such as this and this, as well as many programs available through the internet for learning aspects of film and of AI. (The fact that AI is advancing so well means that many film budgets can be cut.)
I need to make it clear that we do one project at a time, and we do not yet accept applications for help. We are a small organization, and we will stay small. However, we hope to position others to advance the industry in their countries.
Is there an intra-Africa organization for film distribution? There should be, and it should include many people from all African nations, and should have rules about how money is distributed. We were so sad when we confronted theft in the DRC. We cannot work if our equipment is stolen or our funding is misused. So morality is essential for anyone who wants to advance the industry.
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