Up at Night

Synopsis

As twilight fades and another night without electricity falls, neighborhoods in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo rely on fuel-run generators to provide small bands of light and power. Sometimes things shine briefly in triplicate, while at other times we see nothing at all. Throughout, we hear just how insecure the environment can be amid violence, political strife, and the uncertainty of the Grand Inga hydroelectric project, which promises, one day, to bring a permanent power source to the country. Residents’ energy sources and light may be temporary, but their resourcefulness persists.

Director Biography

Born in 1990, Nelson Makengo lives and works in Kinshasa. He graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Kinshasa in 2015 and was trained at LaFémis in Paris. Makengo is basically a self-taught photographer and filmmaker. He was one of the 10 Congolese artists selected to participate in 2017 at Atelier Picha and the Lubumbashi Biennale. Artist in residence at WIELS, one of Europe's leading contemporary art institutions, in 2018. He has directed 6 short documentaries over 4 years, which have been screened in many festivals.