AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL NEW ZEALAND

Synopsis

*The Rumba Kings has won at least 16 awards at international film festivals, including Best Feature Length Documentary, at Cannes.

This is truly a feast of Congolese Rumba and a revelation of Congolese history, set in the years of liberation from colonial rule and afterward.

“The Rumba Kings celebrates the epic quest of the Democratic Republic of Congo, an African Nation that fought colonial oppression, found freedom, and forged a new identity through music. In the 1950s, when the Democratic Republic of Congo was a Belgian colony, a generation of Congolese musicians fused traditional African rhythms with Afro-Cuban music to create the electrifying beat of Congolese Rumba. A beat that would carry Congo through its independence and conquer the entire African continent with its infectious groove, captivating guitar licks, and smooth vocals.” – New Orleans French Film Festival.

“The real treasure of the Congo does not lie underground.” – The Rumba Kings.