Culture
On Sunday, May 18, starting at 5:30 pm, film lovers are invited to Terrain Comète in Kinshasa to experience a new edition of Ciné sous les étoiles, an outdoor cinematic experience full of emotions, discoveries, and surprises. Henoc Kiyombo, the project’s initiator, promises a rich cinematic session for the audience that evening. “What awaits movie buffs is truly a rich outdoor cinema experience. So, we can expect a session filled with several surprises, but above all, the best pleasure of outdoor cinema,” he told ACTUALITE.CD. He mentions that the audience should expect some unexpected elements. “In addition to the quite unique programming we have in store, there will be surprises that we can’t reveal right away. But that’s also the magic of Ciné sous les étoiles. You never know what to expect,” he affirms.
The film “Léa,” which will be screened, was chosen for its recent release and the importance of the theme it addresses. “The film, titled Léa, is a recent feature film that has made quite a buzz, not a Congolese film from Congo Kinshasa but from Congo Brazzaville. And especially, the theme addressed in the film is what motivated us to support its premiere in Kinshasa, and to create this cross-cultural exchange between two cinemas,” he explains. For him, this screening is also an opportunity to facilitate an exchange between two brotherly countries. “We are the two closest countries in the world, sharing our perspectives on the 7th Art. Unique and important topics. It is always a great privilege and a great joy to engage in this cultural exchange,” highlights Henoc.
As for the film’s message, it focuses on the clear message of denouncing sexual violence, a prevalent issue in school environments that often goes unnoticed. “The message we want the audience or the Ciné sous les étoiles community in Kinshasa to take away from the screening of these films is the fact that we denounce sexual violence in school environments. It’s a scourge, it has become a scourge. There are scandals here and there, but addressing it and seeking to denounce it with strong energy is crucial. And cinema, which remains a means not only of communication but also of raising awareness,” adds Henoc Kiyombo.
Ciné sous les étoiles is a cinematographic initiative launched by Henoch Kiyombo, aiming to democratize access to the seventh art in the DRC. Its concept revolves around organizing film screenings, mainly Congolese, outdoors, offering a friendly and accessible experience to the public. Beyond entertainment, this project aims to showcase local cinematographic productions and energize the cinema culture in the DRC, contributing to the creation of spaces for artistic sharing and discovery within the community. Despite inevitable constraints in organizing, the team remains hopeful. “We now have 6 cities, that’s known. But in these 6 cities, we still have an itinerant project. The idea is to have outdoor cinema spaces in all these cities. Each time, we need to rent equipment, we need to travel the teams… The idea is to have a team in each city, have our own equipment to avoid having to rent each time… so that the projects are completely autonomous and no longer depend on anyone to evolve,” concludes the project’s initiator.
