Heart of Africa is a Refreshing, Visceral Experience
My Review:
I watched this particular project with great interest. It had the bad luck to be released just as the pandemic was ramping up in the United States and so it did not get to see the theatrical release to the extent its creators had hoped.
Right away, I was struck by how different this film feels—less Hollywood-style polish and more real-life insight. It is the first collaboration of its kind with people from the United States and the DR Congo coming together to create this film, based on actual events. It was also shot on location in the DR Congo, which really opened my eyes to what living there would really be like. I loved the sense of authenticity and atmosphere that this decision created.
But this movie has much more going for it on top of that. The actors all did a great job and I loved the story, which highlights some of my favorite themes: faith and redemption. It feels a bit like a modern Alma the Younger story, where a troubled youth becomes a mighty missionary who has to overcome great adversity on his mission. I loved the relationship between the African missionary and his American companion. It shows both how tensions between different cultures can exists, but also how they can be overcome to create mutual understanding.
The movies often creates visceral feelings, the kind that I often felt on my mission. There are some truly spectacular moments of incredible faith that don’t fall into the trap of being overly sentimental. I won’t spoil them for you now. I hope you will support this movie so that more projects like this can get the greenlight. This movie opened my eyes to another culture and reaffirmed my deep gratitude for the transformative power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Movie Synopsis:
A Congolese man runs from a terrible accident and finds himself at a revolutionary camp, where he is told that he has a great destiny. He tries to escape and start a new life by going to another town, joining a new religion, and becoming a missionary. Ultimately, though, he finds himself back in the very place he had tried to leave. He must face his fears and his shame—but also his magnificent possibilities.
Heart of Africa is the first full-length, faith-based film to come out of the nascent Democratic Republic of Congo film movement. After decades of colonial oppression and civil war, the country's scars run deep. Cinema is emerging as a cathartic new medium, and director Tshoper Kabambi is a leader of a new kind of revolution: one driven by stories that he hopes will heal the hearts of his people and the DR Congo.
Link to the Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_BK3bYKQ60
Link to Purchase: https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Africa-Moyendo-Mpongo/dp/B08927933S
Rafflecopter Giveaway:
