Elephant's Dream

Outside, the chaotic traffic of Kinshasa, the upsurge of Chinese investors and the “revolution of modernity” advocated by the Congolese government are all advancing at a murderous pace; in the country's ossified state institutions, you could hear a pin drop. Three residents of the Congolese metropolis each react differently to the impending changes. Ambitious post office worker Henriette can’t wait to enter the new computer-driven era. Making a clean sweep of the dusty post office – literally – she prepares for a better future. But will that better future be making a visit to her counter? A stoic fire lieutenant identifies a terrible similarity between the brutal current dictatorship and his Belgian colonial predecessors: their blindness to the interests of the people – for proof, just take a look at his dilapidated firehouse. Mild-mannered railway official Simon sees his job as an opportunity to rest, spending his days singing nostalgic songs. Viewing Congo through the eyes of these three main protagonists, Belgian director Kristof Bilsen has created a poetic and contemplative portrayal of Congo, where the specter of colonialism is still at large while the new economic order draws ever closer. It’s clear as day that changes are on their way for Kinshasa. Or are they?