Congo, Un Medecin Pour Sauver les Femmes: “the horror and hope through dialogues” (Mashariki Review)

The Angele Diabang’s documentary feature was screened at Mashariki African Film Festival 2016 last nightat the Office, Kiyovu in this week’s film screenings before Philippe Lacote’s Run and after a short films Collection and throughout the watching, all of its 52 minutes, it was a horror as it might be.

Throughout the audience, the moans and smhs could be heard through the watching. Hearing the testimony of Annie Francoise, a 17 years old girl who is pregnant of a baby she doesn’t know his father – a fruit of rape by tens of men – an innocent but hopeless Congolese mother-to-be young girl who doesn’t see her future as a mother, who doesn’t have the hope of raising such innocent human being, is horror and leaves you with heartache and Goosebumps on your body.

Hearing the oldie narrating how she was taken in mountains by tens of men just to rape her, watching her demonstrate how they did it, you think you are in the middle of a nightmare and that you are the one who is doing it – This is a horror seriously.

An old woman victim of rape narrating her experience in this film

The Angele Diabang’s documentary touches the heart deep and makes you see exactly what happened to those thousands of women who are aligned at Panzi Hospital, those you were hearing or reading in media reports. Dr. Dennis Mukwege who is not only described as a surgeon but also a militant for human rights is a sung hero for these women, a fallen Angel for them who also features in the documentary as himself narrating his arduous and horrific journey of himself treating women victims, being haunted by their torn bodies he had to repair in his tiny Panzi Hospital, being hunted down for his humanitarian acts, and not giving up.

Dr. Dennis Mukwege narrating his arduous experience treating these women

Dr Mukwege didn’t repair only the women’s bodies, but also their souls which were filled with despair, self-hatred and hopelessness. Through the film, you see the evolution of women from those who were raped and torn to the victorious women (I wish them a Happy Women’s Day) who learned to craft for their occupation and living, and at the end of the day, dance the songs of victory.

“Curse whoever wants to hurt Mukwege…” Women sing the song praising Dr. Mukwege.

Angele Diabang’s Congo, Un Medecin Pour Sauver les Femmes leaves in the audience no other than “Hums, Smhs and moans” and the loathe for these inhumane human beings who did all these to these women, but after all…. HOPE.