Filmmakers in Congo fight the European gaze | DW Documentary

Many prejudices against Africa and Africans can be found, even among journalists and filmmakers. Dutch filmmaker Joris Postema tries to get to the bottom of his own stereotypes in Congo, and to overcome them with help from acquaintances from the country.

The film examines the mechanisms underlying Western views of Congo in particular and African countries in general. Journalist Ley Uwera, photographer Mugabo Baritegera and filmmaker Bernadette Vivuya are among the pioneers of a new generation of Congolese who want to show their own reality as a response to the world’s one-sided, Western-dominated perception of their region. With their cameras, they present an image that is miles away from Western stereotypes of misery and violence. Are there ways to reconcile the different perspectives? And is a Western filmmaker capable of telling this story?

At the same time, the creation of the film itself becomes part of the film. The viewer participates in filmmaker Joris Postema's search for a way to show these different perspectives while confronting his own prejudices.

He does this by speaking with the youth of Goma on the one hand, and talking to Western journalists and the NGOs in Goma on the other. In turn, local producer Ganza Buroko and interpreter Gaïus Kowene constantly confront Postema with his own Western ideas. In addition, Ley and her colleagues often accept assignments from Western NGOs because they provide them with a livelihood. This often places them in an ideological dilemma.

"Stop Filming Us!" is a film that reveals the dominance of the Western view of Congo and Africa. It asks how deeply rooted these perceptions are in hearts and minds, and whether they are the result of guilt, superiority or racism. Where does the constant need to provide help and support come from? Is it a business model to legitimize the presence of the 250 Western aid organizations in Goma? Or is it a means to demonstrate (Christian) charity?

#documentary #dwdocumentary #congo
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