Mama Colonel

In a Democratic Republic of Congo ravaged by many years of war, Colonel Honorine "Mama" Munyole leads a special police unit dedicated to combating violence against women and children. We follow Honorine as she goes about her daily work. At the start of this film, she gets transferred from the rural municipality of Bukavu, where she is a much-loved figure in the local community, to the city of Kisangani. The mistrust, superstition and lack of resources she faces present her with huge challenges. When she finds a safe place for victims of rape and several "bewitched" children who have been abandoned and abused, this antagonizes a number of other, officially recognized, victims of war. But gradually, with great dedication and determination, she manages to win the trust of those she's trying to help. Mama Colonel sheds poignant light on a society scarred by war, but also offers a glimmer of hope for a more harmonious future.