“There is what Congolese novelist In Koli Jean Bofane refers to in the film as an ever-evolving 'algorithm of Congo Inc': an algorithm perfected somewhere between Washington, London, Brussels and Kigali, where Congo Inc. has become the global supplier delivering strategic minerals to take war into space. The thesis of Congo Inc. is that every major war largely consumed and was able to be fought thanks to minerals that were provided by the Congo. In the First World War it was rubber; during the Second World War the high-grade uranium; in Vietnam it was the copper of the endless bullets that were shipped there; and now the strategic materials to take war into space.” (Johan Grimonprez)
Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat
United Nations, 1961: the Global South ignites a political earthquake, jazz musicians Abbey Lincoln and Max Roach crash the Security Council, Nikita Khrushchev bangs his shoe, and the U.S. State Department swings into action, sending jazz ambassador Louis Armstrong to the Congo to deflect attention from the CIA-backed coup. Director Johan Grimonprez explores a moment when jazz, colonialism, and espionage collided.
What's On
How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies Lahn Mah
Pat Boonnitipat
Thursday, 01. 05. 2025 / 15:20 / Main Hall
A young Thai director wraps important questions about family, intergenerational ties, and the pursuit of happiness into a touching dramedy that broke all box office records at home and became a cultural phenomenon. Bring your grandma – and don’t forget the tissues!
Additional Screening
Conclave Conclave
Edward Berger
Thursday, 01. 05. 2025 / 18:00 / Main Hall
When Cardinal Lawrence takes charge of one of the world’s most secretive and ancient procedures—the selection of a new Pope—he finds himself entangled in intrigues and scandals that could shake the very foundations of the Catholic Church. Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Dahomey Dahomey
Mati Diop
Thursday, 01. 05. 2025 / 18:30 / Small Hall
A poetic documentary by Franco-Senegalese director Mati Diop gives voice to artefacts returning from exile in France to their homeland, Benin, and listens to young people as they discuss the significance of this historic event.