Balthasar

2007
Power Cut

Power Cut

The power goes off and the screen goes black: one of those innumerable moments of darkness when the buried memories from decades of conflict suddenly resurface. In the streets of Goma, children play at being news correspondents: Congo is preparing for its first democratic elections since 1960. Using a variety of sources, Sarah Vanagt collects elements from personal stories in a region torn apart by hatred and violence. Images and sound recordings taken by the children of Goma, TV news-clips and young soldiers’ accounts serve as her visual and audio material. Silent Elections is a documentary film on the memory and imagination of young Congolese on the eve of potential political change in their country.
Credits

5 channel video-installation / video / 16:9 and 4:3 / total length: ca. 50' / 2007

Director: Sarah Vanagt

Camera in Congo: Nyabwinja Daniel, Kobito Patrick Tonton, Chamatari Dodo, with the support of CEPV (Centre d’Etudes et de Production Vidéographique), Goma, D.R.Congo

Artistic director CEPV: Petna Ndaliko Katondolo

Editing: Inneke Van Waeyenberghe

Sound design: Pete Connelly

Scenography: Erwin De Muer

The single-screen version of the installation Power Cut is called SILENT ELECTIONS

Produced by Balthasar

coproduced by Centre d’Etudes et de Production Vidéographique (Goma), Kunstenfestivaldesarts Brussels, Desire Productions vzw, KVS Brusels, Argos Brussels.

With support of Flanders Audiovisual Fund

Distribution: www.argosarts.org