This year’s thematic focus for all the events organized by the institute is ‘Marginalized Memories,’ as explained by Ngoi Salucombo, the cultural program coordinator of the organization in Angola.
“We aimed to curate a film cycle featuring African movies, and subsequently identified which productions aligned with the theme. This is highly significant for us as it coincides with the 50th anniversary of Angola’s independence on November 11. There are still marginalized realities and individuals,” Salucombo noted.
Consequently, they selected the documentary ‘Mário,’ directed by Billy Woodberry, which explores the life of Mário Pinto de Andrade, a founding member of the MPLA (Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola). The figure is considered to have been erased from the nation’s history, and the film was scheduled for screening on May 22, the opening day of the film cycle.
“I often describe him [Mário Pinto de Andrade] as a real example of marginalized memory. He is a crucial figure in Angola’s history but remains virtually unknown to the post-independence generation,” lamented Salucombo.
“My generation from the 1980s, right after independence, still avoids certain topics. This is why several films from other African nations have been selected as this is a cross-continental African reality,” he added.
The film curator stated that the broader goal was to “expand the geographical scope” of African narratives being showcased.
As such, they avoided restricting the selection solely to Portuguese-speaking African countries (PALOP), allowing Angolan audiences to explore stories from other African nations, which are typically not consumed in the country, he stated.
“More often than not, Angolans feel close to other PALOP countries due to the language connection, yet we have little to no ties with other neighboring nations due to different languages we aren’t familiar with,” he emphasized.
“At no point did we decide against featuring films from PALOP, but our intuition led us to seek stories that are relatable, showcasing African realities with which we have no contact,” especially since, in Angola, aside from PALOP audiovisual content, “very little African content is consumed,” he said.
For Salucombo, this presents the challenge of subtitles, “as it’s very difficult to find African content subtitled in Portuguese.”
Five documentaries will be screened from May 22 to 25 in Luanda, Angola (Cine São Paulo), São Tomé and Príncipe (Cacau), in Bahia, Brazil (Casa de Angola in Bahia), and in Berlin, Germany (Sinema Transtopia). The event is free of charge, except in Berlin, where the venue is rented, and tickets are priced at nine euros, he clarified.
The films to be showcased include: ‘Mário’ (Angola), ‘Don’t Be Late for My Funeral’ (South Africa), ‘No Simple Way Home’ (South Sudan), ‘Our Land, Our Freedom’ (Kenya), and ‘Dahomey’ (Benin).
This institute, established in 2009, was Germany’s first cultural institution in Portuguese-speaking Africa and aims to foster cultural exchange, according to a press release from the entity.
