Félicité is a proud, free-willed woman working as a singer in a bar in Kinshasa. Her life is thrown into turmoil when her 14-year-old son falls victim to an accident. To save him, she sets out on a breakneck race through the streets of electric Kinshasa – a world of music and dreams where she’ll cross paths with Tabu…
Félicité is a force; a woman who, when faced with the ghastly injury of her son, must pull out all the stops to save him. Through the busy streets of Kinshasa, she rushes against time and all odds to restore order to her life. Véro Tshanda Beya Mputu’s performance is singular in its portrayal of the difficulties of city life as a woman. We witness her navigate her job as a singer and her inevitable grief as a woman touched by life.
Kika Memeh & Ogheneofegor Obuwoma, FOCUS Curators
Presented by
Véro Tshanda Beya Mputu, Gaetan Claudia, Papi Mpaka
France/Senegal/Belgium/
Germany/Lebanon
2017
In Lingala with English subtitles
Book Tickets
Indigenous & Community Access
Indigenous Access Tickets Community Access Tickets Ticket Donation Requests
Credits & Director
Executive Producer
Roger Ngandu Kangudia
Producer
Arnaud Dommerc, Alain Gomis, Omar Sall
Screenwriter
Alain Gomis
Cinematography
Céline Bozon
Editor
Fabrice Rouaud
Production Design
Oumar Sall
Original Music
The Kasaï Allstars
Alain Gomis
Alain Gomis was born in Paris, France where he studied art history and film. After making videos and short films, his first feature film L’afrance (2002) won the Silver Leopard at Locarno. Félicité was shown at the Competition section of the 2017 Berlinale.
Filmography: L’afrance (2002); Andalucia (2007); Aujourd’hui (2012); Rewind & Play (2022)
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
Two Strangers Trying Not to Kill Each Other
This intimate and candid film by a younger husband and wife artist team is a delicate and immensely moving dual portrait of two artists, husband and wife, together and apart, at that point in life when the end casts a shadow over even the sunniest day.
Image: © Manon et Jacob and Final Cut For Real
Blue Road - The Edna O'Brien Story
Judging by this candid, funny, passionate biographical documentary, it would have been a wild ride to have been Irish novelist Edna O'Brien, or even to have been in her circle of friends and lovers. Well, for an hour and a half we can pretend we were.
Erupcja
Charli xcx headlines this indie gem about a young English couple coming unmoored over a few days in Warsaw. Will means to propose. Beth has cold feet -- and an escape hatch she has barely admitted to herself... Think Before Sunrise 2025.
Tony Wilson's The Homeless Project
Combining music, text, still photography, and film to shine a sympathetic light on Canada's urban dispossessed, The Homeless Project is the third in composer, guitarist Tony Wilson's series of multimedia projects addressing pressing social issues.