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.