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Rising Up at Night

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Kinshasa, the capital of 17 million people, is plunged into darkness and insecurity, and its inhabitants are struggling to gain access to light. In a relentless quest, Kudi mobilizes the people of his neighborhood to buy a stolen cable in order to restore electricity in time for the end- of-year festivities. The committee gathers a group of mostly women and goes door-to-door to pay for the cable in the Kisenso neighborhood. At Christmas, Kudi turns into Santa Claus. Flashes of light and hope animate the streets of Kinshasa. At the same time, at Mount Mangengenge, a holy place that overlooks the city, Pastor Gédéon preaches the light of Christ as the path to life and truth. For his part, Davido seeks shelter because his house has been flooded by the Congo River. While observing the city, he sings, between discouragement and resilience. With a community of young men, he kills time by working out, dreaming of a better future. RISING UP AT NIGHT (TONGO SAA) is a subtle portrait of a population that, despite the challenges it faces, is reinventing itself in an environment that is plagued by violence, colored by the uncertainty of tomorrow, and immersed in the beauty of Kinshasa's nights.

Critics Reviews

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Wendy Ide Screen International [A] powerful impressionistic collage of lives forced into uncertainty. Apr 23, 2024 Full Review Peter Keough Arts Fuse The film’s insistence on remaining in the dark transforms this obvious metaphor into a palpable reality, one that is both suffocating and possessed of an uncanny beauty. Sep 18, 2024 Full Review Read all reviews

Cast & Crew

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Nelson Makengo

Director

Nelson Makengo

Screenwriter

Rosa Spaliviero

Producer

Dada Kahindo

Producer

Nelson Makengo

Cinematographer

Inneke Van Waeyenberghe

Film Editor
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Rising Up at Night

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Movie Info

Synopsis Kinshasa, the capital of 17 million people, is plunged into darkness and insecurity, and its inhabitants are struggling to gain access to light. In a relentless quest, Kudi mobilizes the people of his neighborhood to buy a stolen cable in order to restore electricity in time for the end- of-year festivities. The committee gathers a group of mostly women and goes door-to-door to pay for the cable in the Kisenso neighborhood. At Christmas, Kudi turns into Santa Claus. Flashes of light and hope animate the streets of Kinshasa. At the same time, at Mount Mangengenge, a holy place that overlooks the city, Pastor Gédéon preaches the light of Christ as the path to life and truth. For his part, Davido seeks shelter because his house has been flooded by the Congo River. While observing the city, he sings, between discouragement and resilience. With a community of young men, he kills time by working out, dreaming of a better future. RISING UP AT NIGHT (TONGO SAA) is a subtle portrait of a population that, despite the challenges it faces, is reinventing itself in an environment that is plagued by violence, colored by the uncertainty of tomorrow, and immersed in the beauty of Kinshasa's nights.
Director
Nelson Makengo
Producer
Rosa Spaliviero, Dada Kahindo
Screenwriter
Nelson Makengo
Production Co
Twenty Nine Studio & Production, Mutotu Productions
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
Lingala
Runtime
1h 36m