Cinema: Mudimbe’s novel ‘Le Bel Immonde’ adapted into a poetic film

Kinshasa, October 12^th , 2025 (CPA). – A film adaptation based on an excerpt from the novel ‘Le Bel Immonde’ by the late Congolese author Valentin-Yves Mudimbe was made in the city of Lubumbashi (Haut-Katanga), in the south-east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, to honour his memory, the film’s director told the CPA on Sunday. « This film, entitled Bel Immonde, was written by producer Christian Nyampeta, an American artist, and is based on an excerpt from Professor Mudimbe’s book Le Bel Immonde. The aim was to honour his memory. I was simply the director chosen in Lubumbashi from among many others, and I was lucky enough to make this magnificent film, » said Magellan Kahozi, the film’s director. ‘I think this film opens up new perspectives for auteur cinema. The more quality films we make, the more we attract producers from all over the world, and the more Congolese directors, especially those from Lubumbashi, can make a name for themselves,’ he added. When asked about the message he wants to convey through this cinematic experience, Magellan Kahozi wanted to convey a concrete message of hope for Congolese youth. « The message I want to convey is to believe in your dreams. One day, they will come true. I decided to make films, and today, an American producer has spotted me. It’s an honour, and it motivates me to work even harder, » he explained, adding that the ten-minute short film Bel Immonde is part of a special project. « It’s an international anthology born from the imagination of producer Christian Nyampeta. He chose several directors from different countries to bring various fragments of Mudimbe’s novel to life, each in their own way, with their own sensibility and perspective, » Magellan explained. According to him, artistically speaking, the collaboration with this American art teacher proved to be very fruitful, marked by mutual trust and respect for the creative process. ‘I really liked the fact that Christian Nyampeta, an international artist, gave me the freedom to change certain things in his script. He allowed me to be creative, without imposing anything on me. Above all, he was amazed by the colossal work that my team and I accomplished,’ he said. The need to promote Lubumbashi’s talents in the face of unequal opportunities Finally, referring to the realities of the Congolese film industry, the young director made a lucid but hopeful observation. « We, artists from Lubumbashi, have few opportunities, but a strong desire to do things well. Kinshasa has many opportunities, but they are often poorly exploited. As a result, artists from Kinshasa sometimes lose credibility. If the spotlight were also on us in Lubumbashi, we could represent this country well, as we have been doing for quite some time, » the filmmaker pointed out. Bel Immonde is currently being presented as part of the Carnet d’Amérique project at the Gothenburg International Biennial for Contemporary Art 2025, which is running in Sweden until November 30^th, under the theme ‘a hand that is all our hands combined’. The work engages with the legacy of Valentin-Yves Mudimbe (1941–2025), a leading thinker on decolonisation, identity and memory. This opportunity was made possible thanks to the Waza Art Centre in Lubumbashi, whose support enabled the decisive meeting between Magellan Kahozi and Christian Nyampeta, according to reports. ACP/