Kisangani Diary

1998 0h 52m EN

🙌

8.3

BANGER

★8.3TMDB · 3

Documentary

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Along an overgrown rail track south of the Zairean town Kisangani, a UN expedition together with a handful of journalists discover “lost” refugees. They are eighty thousand Hutus from far away Rwanda, the last survivors of three years of hunger and armed persecution that transpired throughout the vast Congo basin. The Hutu-refugees leave the forest, gathering in two gigantic camps. Hundreds of refugees die every day from diseases and malnutrition The Rwandans are promised repatriation with airplanes out of Kisangani. The film traces those refugees into the heart of the rainforest, and the hopeless attempts to help them.. But only four weeks later, the unprotected UN-camps are again attacked by machine-gun fire, deliberately massacred by factions of the rebel army (AFDL) of today’s Democratic Republic Congo. Eighty thousand men, women and children disappear once again back into the jungle. (jedensvet.cz)

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Hubert Sauper
Writers: Hubert Sauper
Languages: English, French
Countries: Austria, France

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

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Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

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Tight 52-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

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28 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

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Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, French.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: Austria, France.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Hubert Sauper, shot by Hubert Sauper. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Hubert Sauper shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0143343 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Hubert Sauper directs. Hubert Sauper behind the camera. Hubert Sauper cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Austria, France. Dialogue in English, French.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 52-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
228 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, French.
4International production across 2 countries: Austria, France.
5Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
6Directed by Hubert Sauper, shot by Hubert Sauper. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
7Editor Hubert Sauper shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8IMDB entry: tt0143343 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 3 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.