African visions

Marc-Henri Wajnberg’s Kinshasa Kids

The Vues d’Afrique festival, celebrating its 29th edition this year, continues to bring the best cinema from the African diaspora to Montreal, with programming that international cinephiles are unlikely to see elsewhere.

The fest launches tonight, Friday April 26, with Kinshasa Kids, Belgian filmmaker Marc-Henri Wajnberg’s naturalistic story about a group of street kids in the titular capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Evidently 30,000 kids live on the street, many kicked out of their homes on suspicion of witchcraft. Wajnberg’s documentary-esque style and cast of locals have won this film some accolades on the international circuit, and the director will be in town to present the film.

Among the many other features screening, a couple stand out. Bissau-Guinean director Flora Gomes’ La république des enfants (The Children’s Republic), a fable about African child soldiers setting up their own sovereign nation, boasts some Hollywood presence, with Danny Glover appearing in a key supporting role. Ibrahim el Batout’s Winter of Discontent is an Egyptian drama set amid the turmoil of the Arab Spring.

For geopolitical junkies, there are a few documentaries that look interesting. Top picks include Robert Mugabe: What Happened?, detailing the deterioration of the Zimbabwe president from liberating freedom fighter to destructive dictator; Demokarasi, a doc about a former journalist who spearheads the formation of a political party in Burundi as the country emerges from 16 years of civil war;  Land Rush, documenting the plight of Malian farmers in the era of multinational corporate rule, and Fear, Anger and Politics, Nadian Zouaoui’s Al Jazeera-produced documentary about American Muslims in the post-9/11 era.

In addition to dozens more features, documentaries and shorts, the fest also has a visual arts exhibit as well as a pop-up African snack bar, Baobar, which will be open during the fest at 3523 St-Laurent, across the street from Cinéma Excentris where most of the screenings take place. ■

Vues d’Afrique opens tonight, Friday April 26 with Kinshasa Kids at Cinéma Impérial (1430 Bleury), 6 p.m., $10. All other screenings take place at Excentris (3536 St-Laurent). See the festival website for full program and schedule.