Africa Rising

From independence to the present day, a fascinating historical overview of the cultural breakthroughs of African nations on the international scene.

Documentary by Thorsten Ernst and Jean-Alexander Ntivyihabwa (Germany, 2019, 1h30mn)

The worldwide craze around the blockbuster Black Panther has recently confirmed it: when it comes to culture - and especially popular culture - Africa is carrying more and more weight, conquering even the red carpets of Hollywood and inspiring the biggest stars of international music. But this influence is nothing new: since the 1950s and the beginnings of decolonisation, the political emancipation of the black continent has been closely linked to a large-scale artistic - and primarily musical - boom, which has helped define a new African identity.

Bubbling
With this in mind, Thorsten Ernst and Jean-Alexander Ntivyihabwa retrace more than half a century of African political and cultural history, in the company of some of its actors and observers. We meet Miriam Makeba, Papa Wemba, Manu Dibango, Fela Kuti or Wizkid, but also members of the diaspora - like the French-Congolese Maître Gims - or Afro-American artists who draw their inspiration from the continent of their ancestors. At a time when contemporary African artists are on display in Western museums and the debate over the restitution of works of art looted by the colonial powers is raging, this documentary depicts a continent that is bubbling with life, a laboratory of political, social, cultural and economic renewal of the highest order.