Elephant's Dream
ABOUT
The capital city of Kinshasa is rebuilding. Through the eyes of three civil workers struggling to reconstruct the foundation of the city's public services, we witness a tale of national transformation. Driven by desperate ambition, postal worker Henriette faces a system defined by stagnation, even as she rises through its ranks. With ramshackle equipment, a firefighter is forced to watch as everything he helped build burns to the ground. Meanwhile, optimistic railway worker Simon stands guard over an unused rail-station-unsure of what he is protecting. Their stories allow director Kristof Bilsen to offer a rare look at the DRC, filled with poetry and absurdity that is brimming with compassionate insight.
Kristof received his Masters in Documentary Direction at the National Film and Television School (UK). In 2014 he released Elephant’s Dream, a portrait of three state-owned institutions and their workers in DR Congo, a film he directed/filmed and co-produced. He is an IDFA Academy and EURODOC graduate and is one of the Emerging Producers for Jihlava 2019. He won several awards, such as Grand Prize Nanook-Jean Rouch in Paris, Magic Hour Award at Docs Against Gravity (Warsaw), the TRT 2nd International Documentary Award in Istanbul, Special Mention Bertha Best International Documentary at One World Media Awards (UK), the Buzz Wilson Award at Michael Moore's Traverse City Film Festival, and his work screened at various festivals internationally. He regularly teaches and gives workshops on documentary research, storytelling and production. FILMS Elephant's Dream, 75' / 2014 The Perfect Belgian, 34' / 2010 Parallel Lives, 34' / 2010 Three Women, 50' / 2005
CREDITS
Limerick Films
Mans’ Films Productions
Roast Beef Productions
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