Rising Up at Night

As the Congo constructs Africa’s largest power station, Kinshasa and its inhabitants are trapped in literal darkness, waiting and struggling to get access to electric light while also dealing with extensive flooding and preparing to celebrate Christmas and the New Year. Nelson Makengo’s first feature documentary, which premiered at the 2024 Berlin Film Festival Panorama, is a vivid portrait of Kinshasa’s residents—their hopes, disappointments, religious faith, and resilience. Makengo’s subtle, fragmented storytelling captures a population reinventing itself while immersed in the beauty of Kinshasa’s nights.

Preceded by
Profiling
Zaza Mon Amour, 2025, France, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 15m
French with English subtitles
World Premiere
Marseille, a city of rich cultural diversity, still carries the deep scars of segregation. Fear of the “other” fuels a relentless cycle of violence, where oppressors justify their actions, and the oppressed inherit a simmering rage. Three childhood friends reunite after years apart, eager to celebrate. But their joy is fleeting—what begins as a simple gathering takes a tragic turn due to racial profiling, reigniting a spiral of hatred. Years pass, yet the wounds remain unhealed. As far-right ideologies gain ground, confronting both oppressors and the oppressed with the weight of their actions is more urgent than ever.