Rising up at Night Tongo Saa

A documentary film that intertwines hope, disillusionment, and religious faith to deliver an intense and multifaceted portrait of the seventeen million inhabitants of Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Congolese filmmaker and visual artist Nelson Makengo creates a work where evocative imagery and poetic narration merge into a story of great visual and emotional power. Filmed in the director’s hometown of Kinshasa, the film offers a vivid snapshot of daily life in the Kisenso neighborhood, highlighting one of its main challenges: the lack of electricity. Through the contrast of shadow and light, the documentary captures the complexity of Kinshasa’s reality, providing a profound insight into a society that resists, adapts, and continues to hope.