Tongo Saa by Nelson Makengo

  • HD video, color, 16:9
  • 96 min.
  • 2024
  • DRC/BE/DE/BF/QA
  • Lingala spoken (EN, FR, NL st)
  • writer-director Nelson Makengo
  • assistant director Isaac Sahani Dato
  • producers Rosa Spaliviero, Dada Kahindo Siku
  • coproducers  Florian Schewe, Michel K. Zongo, Marie Logie, Samuel Feller, Isabelle Christiaens
  • production managers  Rosa Spaliviero, Juliette Hourçourigaray, Isaac Sahani Dato, Hélène Ballis
  • image Nelson Makengo
  • sound design Franck Moka
  • sound recording Moimi Wezam
  • sound editing Laszlo Umbreit
  • sound mix  Rémi Gérard
  • editing Inneke Van Waeyenberghe
  • colour grading Miléna Trivier
  • composers Bao Sissoko, Wouter Vandenabeele

Kinshasa, the capital city of 17 million people, is plunged into darkness and insecurity as its inhabitants struggle to access the light. In a relentless quest, Kudi mobilizes the people of his neighborhood, Kisenso, to buy the stolen cable so that electricity can be restored in time for the festivities. At Christmas, Kudi turns into Santa Claus. Flashes of light and hope illuminate the streets of Kinshasa. On Mount Mangengenge, a sacred site, Pastor Gédéon preaches the light of Christ as the way to faith and light. Meanwhile, young Davido is looking for shelter after his house was flooded by the Congo River. He kills time by working out and waiting for the river to recede from his neighborhood. Between hope and religious faith, Tongo Saa is a subtle, fragmented portrait of a population that, despite the challenges, is reinventing itself in an environment marked by violence, coloured by the uncertainty of tomorrow and immersed in the beauty of Kinshasa's nights.


Kinshasa, capitale de 17 millions d'habitants, est plongée dans l'obscurité et l'insécurité, et ses habitants luttent pour avoir accès à la lumière. Dans une quête incessante, Kudi mobilise les habitants de son quartier, Kisenso, pour acheter le câble volé afin de rétablir l'électricité à temps pour les fêtes de fin d'année. À Noël, Kudi se transforme en Père Noël. Des éclairs de lumière et d'espoir illuminent les rues de Kinshasa. Sur le mont Mangengenge, un site sacré, le pasteur Gédéon prêche la lumière du Christ comme chemin de la foi et de la lumière. Le jeune Davido, quant à lui, cherche un abri car sa maison a été inondée par le fleuve Congo. Il tue le temps en faisant de la musculation et en attendant que le fleuve se retire de son quartier. Entre espoir et foi religieuse, Tongo Saa est un portrait subtil et fragmenté d'une population qui, malgré les défis, se réinvente dans un environnement marqué par la violence, coloré par l'incertitude du lendemain et plongé dans la beauté des nuits de Kinshasa.

Produced by

Twenty Nine Studio & Production
Mutotu Productions
Coproduction : Film Five, Diam Productions, Auguste Orts, Magellan Films, RTBF

Supported by

  • SCAM Brouillon d'un rêve et La Culture avec la Copie privée
  • The Atlas Workshops, Marrakech International Film Festival
  • Fonds Image de la Francophonie
  • Fonds Jeune Création Francophone
  • IDFA Bertha Fund Europe supported by Creative Europe MEDIA program
  • Berlinale World Cinema Fund ACP, the contribution of the European Union and the organization of ACP States
  • Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program with support from Open Society Foundations Just Films | Ford Foundation
  • Hot lce Docs Fund
  • Film and Audiovisual Center of Wallonia Brussels Federation
  • Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF)
  • The Tax Shelter of the Belgian Federal Government
  • Doha Film Institute

Sales agent

Square Eyes Film

Festivals

Berlinale, Panorama 2024 (DE)

Visions du Réel - International Film Festival Nyon, International Competition, 2024 (CH)

HotDocs - Canadian International Documentary Festival, World Showcase, 2024 (CA)

STLOUIS'DOCS, International Competition, 2024 (SE)

DOXA Documentary Film Festival, The Devil Stole Our Laughter, 2024 (CA)

Margaret Mead Film Festival, Competition for the Margaret Mead Filmmaker Award, 2024 (USA)

Seattle International Film Festival, African Pictures, 2024 (USA)

Docs Against Gravity Film Festival, Competition for First Appearance Award, 2024 (PL)

Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Official Selection, 2024 (BE)

Beldocs International Documentary Film Festival, International Competition, 2024 (RS)

IndieLisboa International Film Festival, International Competition, 2024 (PT)

Festival du Film Européen de Kinshasa, Official Selection, 2024 (CD)

Guadalajara International Film Festival, Official Selection, Socio-Environmental Competition, 2024 (MX)

Ishango Encounters, Official Selection, 2024 (CD) Durban International Film Festival, Competition for Best Documentary, 2024 (ZA)

BlackStar Film Festival, Official Selection, 2024 (USA)

Festival cinémas d’Afrique Lausanne, Official Selection, 2024 (CH)

Rockaway Film Festival, Official Selection, 2024 (USA)

Camden International Film Festival, Official Selection, 2024 (USA)

Afrika Film Festival Köln, Official Selection, 2024 (DE)

Pravo Ljudski Film Festival, Main Programme, 2024 (BA)

Reykjavík International Film Festival, A Different Tomorrow, 2024 (IS)

Human Rights Film Festival Berlin, Official Selection, 2024 (DE)

BFI London Film Festival, Documentary Competition for Grierson award, 2024 (GB)

Janela Internacional de Cinema do Recife, Official Selection, 2024 (BR)

Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival, Official Selection, 2024 (USA)

Astra Film Festival, New Voices Competition, 2024 (RO)

Film Africa, Official Selection, 2024 (GB)

West Lake International Documentary Festival, Glory of Documentary, 2024 (CN)

Leeds International Film Festival, Cinema Versa, 2024 (GB)

Africa International Film Festival, Official Selection, 2024 (NG)

ZINEBI - Int. Festival of Documentary and Short Film of Bilbao, International Competition ZIFF - ZINEBI First Film, 2024 (ES)

Black Harvest Film Festival, Official Selection, 2024 (USA)

Kassel Documentary Film and Video Festival, Official Selection, 2024 (DE)

International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam, Best of Fests, 2025 (NL)

Festival des 3 Continents, International Competition, 2025 (FR)

Rencontres Int. du Documentaire de Montréal, Nouveaux Regards + Women Inmate Jury Competition, 2025 (CA)

Marrakech Int. Film Festival, 11th Continent, 2025 (MA)

Indie Memphis Film Festival, Documentary Features section, 2025 (USA)

International Film Festival of India - IFFI Goa, Cinema of the World, 2025 (IN)

Muestra de Cine de Lanzarote, Competition, 2025 (ES)

Laceno d’Oro Film Festival, Official Competition, 2025 (IT)

Carthage Film Festival, Official Competition - Documentary Film, 2025 (TN)

Rencontres du Documentaire en Haïti, Official Selection, 2025 (HT)

Festival International du Film Politique, Official Selection, 2025 (FR)

Back Movie Festival - Geneva Int. Independent Film Festival, Official Selection, 2025 (CH)

Africa Alive Film Festival, Official Selection, 2025 (DE)

Ismailia International Film Festival for Documentaries and Shorts, Main Competition, 2025 (EG)

FESPACO, Feature Documentary Competition, 2025 (BF)

KINOATHENS - International Independent Film Festival, International Competition Section for Features, 2025 (GR)

One World Int. Human Rights Documentary Film Festival, Official Selection, 2025 (CZ)

ZagrebDox International Documentary Film Festival, Festival Hits, 2025 (HR)

Qumra, Qumra Screenings, 2025 (QA)

New York African Film Festival, Showcase with Film at Lincoln Center, 2025 (USA)

Jean Rouch Film Festival, International Competition, 2025 (FR)

Global Cinema Film Festival of Boston, Official Selection, 2025 (USA)

DOK.fest München, African Encounters: Films and Talks about Climate Justice, 2025 (DE)

Decolonial Film Festival, Special focus on Congo on 6 July, 2025 (FR)

International Film Festival Innsbruck, Documentary Competition, 2025 (AT)

Tenemos Que Ver - International Human Rights Film Festival, International Feature Film Competition, 2025 (UY)

RomAfrica Film Festival, Official Selection, 2025 (IT)

International Images Film Festival for Women, Official Selection, 2025 (ZW)

Berlinale Atonal, Third Surface program - Kraftwerk, 2025 (DE)

Trinidad+Tobago Film Festival, Origins program, 2025 (TT)

Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival, International Competition, 2025 (JP)

Kafuka African Film Festival, Official Selection, 2025 (CV)

Cinéma Africain! Film Festivals, Official Selection, 2025 (AT)

Amiens International Film Festival, Cities around the world, 2025 (FR)

Miradas Afroindigenas Film Festival, Official selection, 2025 (ES)

Awards and special mentions

  • Special Jury Award International Feature Film Competition, Visions du Réel 2024
  • Feature Film Grand Prize City of Lisbon and TV Cine Special Award, Indielisboa 2024
  • Special Mention Socio-Environmental Cinema Award, Guadalajara International Film Festival 2024
  • Best Documentary – New Voice Section, Astra Film Festival 2024
  • Silver Tanit for Best Feature Documentary, Carthage Film Festival 2024
  • Documentary Silver Stallion of Yennenga, Fespaco 2025
  • Special mention First Film, Zinebi 2024
  • Special mention Audience, Laceno d’Oro 2024
  • Golden Deer of the City of Athens KINOATHENS 2025
  • Prix des Etudiant(e)s Jean Rouch Film Festival 2025

Nominations

  • Nominated for the Berlinale Documentary Award 2024
  • Nominated for DFM Award 2024
  • Nominated for Best Documentary and for Best Debut Feature Film African Movie Academy Award 2024
  • Considered for Jury Prize & Best Documentary Film Prize, Ismailia International Film Festival for Documentaries and Shorts 2025