Congolese writer, poet, and filmmaker Balufu Bakupa-Kanyinda is one of African cinema’s most influential voices. With his multi-award-winning films, including Thomas Sankara, Le Baobab de Dagnoen, Le Damier, Papa National Oye!, and Juju Factory, he has set the stage for generations of filmmakers to create bold and honest work.
In his words about tapping into his native language, Kasala, through his films, he says, "I sought to find a narrative structure which would be closer to my culture. This narrative structure is the thread in all of my films. 'Kasala' means 'feather,' a small feather. It is a symbol for everything that flies, for the bird which travels far away. But it is also a symbol of knowledge, as the feather is used for writing. Kasala is about knowing, and my work is about memory." The four short works included in this program further spiritedly and poetically present Bakupa-Kanyinda’s exploration of these ideas.
Please note: the films are presented here in the best available quality.
Blasty and Céli love each other, but Blasty has another love: his stereo radio set. When he walks the streets of his native Kinshasa, Céli and the radio are always with him. He carries the radio on his shoulder, while Céli balances the battery on her head. The battery runs out, and Céli decides to buy a new one. A watt is a unit for electrical power, and 1.000 watts inflames Blasty for his pretty Céli.
- Year1999
- Runtime19 minutes
- LanguageFrench
- CountryCongo, the Democratic Republic of the, Côte d'Ivoire
- DirectorBalufu Bakupa-Kanyinda
Congolese writer, poet, and filmmaker Balufu Bakupa-Kanyinda is one of African cinema’s most influential voices. With his multi-award-winning films, including Thomas Sankara, Le Baobab de Dagnoen, Le Damier, Papa National Oye!, and Juju Factory, he has set the stage for generations of filmmakers to create bold and honest work.
In his words about tapping into his native language, Kasala, through his films, he says, "I sought to find a narrative structure which would be closer to my culture. This narrative structure is the thread in all of my films. 'Kasala' means 'feather,' a small feather. It is a symbol for everything that flies, for the bird which travels far away. But it is also a symbol of knowledge, as the feather is used for writing. Kasala is about knowing, and my work is about memory." The four short works included in this program further spiritedly and poetically present Bakupa-Kanyinda’s exploration of these ideas.
Please note: the films are presented here in the best available quality.
Blasty and Céli love each other, but Blasty has another love: his stereo radio set. When he walks the streets of his native Kinshasa, Céli and the radio are always with him. He carries the radio on his shoulder, while Céli balances the battery on her head. The battery runs out, and Céli decides to buy a new one. A watt is a unit for electrical power, and 1.000 watts inflames Blasty for his pretty Céli.
- Year1999
- Runtime19 minutes
- LanguageFrench
- CountryCongo, the Democratic Republic of the, Côte d'Ivoire
- DirectorBalufu Bakupa-Kanyinda