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
Shadow of a Doubt
In our latest film studies series, FRAMEWORK, Michael van den Bos explores the work of Alfred Hitchcock across four monochrome masterworks. This week: smalltown US thriller Shadow of a Doubt (1943), one of the director's personal favourites.
La Bola Negra
A big, old-school historical melodrama gets a thrillingly modern, queer makeover from Spanish duo Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, who artfully juggle three gay protagonists across stories set in 1932, 1937, and 2017. Winner: Best Director, Cannes. Screening on 35mm.
The History of Concrete
After attending a workshop on pitching saccharine Hallmark movies, John Wilson tries to apply all the same best practices to his documentary about concrete. Frequently absurd and endlessly entertaining detours, asides, and digressions ensue.
NAZA
NAZA is a codeword euphemistically used by Israeli intelligence to indicate the number of civilians it expects will be killed in an airstrike. This chilling documentary exposes the policy and process of state-sanctioned mass killings.
The Best Years of Our Lives
One of the finest films to come out of WWII, The Best Years of Our Lives sympathetically conveys the difficulties returning veterans faced in readjusting to life at home. It won 7 of the top Academy Awards including Best Picture, Director and Actor.
Ray Gunn (Special Advance Screening with Brad Bird)
In an alternate future as seen from 1939, a private eye (Sam Rockwell) is drawn into a case involving aliens, murder, and a multimedia star (Scarlett Johansson). Followed by a moderated discussion with director Brad Bird (The Incredibles, Ratatouille).