Congo in Four Acts

A quartet of powerful short films that examines social issues in an impoverished African nation, Congo in Four Acts is an eye—opening exposé that lays bare the reality of everyday life in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Initiated as an educational project to help young filmmakers develop their craft, the end result is an unpolished vérité gem, with an engaging consistency linking the films together. Ladies in Waiting channels Frederick Wiseman as it chronicles the bureaucratic dysfunctions of a Kinshasa maternity ward. Symphony takes us on a staggering tour of the Kinshasa slums. Zero Tolerance is a searing snapshot of sexual violence in east DRC. Mine is a heart—rending examination of a polluted settlement where young children earn meagre wages by breaking rocks. Congo in Four Acts is a fine example of the socio—political advocacy art that can result from putting documentary tools into the hands of local citizens.