Lumumba (2000)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Raoul Peck

Writers:

Pascal Bonitzer (writer)
Dan Edelstein (English dubbed version)

Release Date:

27 September 2000 (Belgium)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | History | War

Plot:

The true story of the rise to power and brutal assassination of the formerly vilified and later redeemed leader of the independent Congo...

Plot Keywords:

Belgium | Assassination | Patrice Lumumba | Intrigue | Military

Awards:

4 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Eriq Ebouaney	...	Patrice Émery Lumumba
Alex Descas	...	Joseph Mobutu
Théophile Sowié	...	Maurice Mpolo (as Théophile Moussa Sowie)
Maka Kotto	...	Joseph Kasa Vubu
Dieudonné Kabongo	...	Godefroid Munungo
Pascal N'Zonzi	...	Moïse Tshombe
André Debaar	...	Walter J. Ganshof Van der Meersch
Cheik Doukouré	...	Joseph Okito
Makena Diop	...	Thomas Kanza (as Oumar Diop Makena)
Mariam Kaba	...	Pauline Lumumba
Rudi Delhem	...	Général Emile Janssens
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Francis Adam	...	Le maître d'hôtel
Alain Bouillé	...	Le pilote du Dakota
Mata Gabin	...	Helene Bijou
Edgar Henri Mato	...	Un ministre
Den Thatcher	...	Frank Carlucci
Paul Tingay

Also Known As:

Lumumba, retour au Congo (France) (working title)

Runtime:

115 min | Argentina:120 min (Mar del Plata Film Festival)

Country:

France | Belgium | Germany | Haiti

Language:

French | Lingala

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

South Africa:13V | New Zealand:M | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | France:U | Netherlands:16

Filming Locations:

Belgium

Company:

Arte

Trivia:

Raoul Peck had already made a film about Lumumba in 1992: "Lumumba, la mort du prophète", but it was a documentary.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Cinemania (2002)

Reviews raise problems!!

This film has both people that enjoy and people that loathe it. However I was struck by the fact at how many non-Africans had seen and commented on this film. Here we see a massive problem arising.

Firstly: It is a fact that African history was passed along orally and the only real written history in Africa was created with the advent of missionaries on the continent. To this day there are more books written about African history by non-Africans than there have been of Africans. This means that Africa has seldom, if ever, been presented the way it sees itself. "Lumumba" is a film made by an African filmmaker, shot on the African continent with African actors and yet we see Americans and Europeans commenting on it!

The fact is that most of these people have an imagined history of Africa. On user commented that the USA was 'forced' to intervene in Congo, because "Lumumba" called in the USSR to help out his army. What the hell was the USA doing in Africa in the first place? And I answer; they were securing their economic interests. How dare outside powers even allow to excuse their intervention in the African continent, when they are in majority at fault for the situation many African countries find themselves in today.

Secondly: There were a couple of comments on the acting and style that this film was made in. Many people don't realize that the entire world does not exclusively copy the Hollywood model. We see different characters in different environments. "Lumumba" shows a different view on an African hero and even though this view is not entirely accurate, what view ever is.

So don't watch and judge this film according to your standards, because you most likely have no idea what you are talking about. Rather than being prejudiced towards the film, just let it talk to you and present you with its argument...for a change!