THE STORY – Bangui, Central African Republic. 17 year-old Robert dreams of a career in music, but civil war is tearing the country apart. When both his parents are thrown into prison, he is left to look after his four younger siblings on his own, juggling daily life, odd jobs, school exams and concert stages, determined to follow his dream.
THE CAST – Bradley Fiomona Dembeasset, Christy Djomanda Louba, Pétruche Mbomba, Rosiana Kotozia, Gloria Ambacko & Dieufera Sana
THE TEAM – Rafiki Fariala (Director/Writer) & Tommy Baron (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 95 minutes
Since humans first turned cameras on actors’ faces, cinema has told tales of heroic lead characters fighting for their dreams, no matter how insurmountable the challenges they face. And although the broad strokes of the story that “Congo Boy” tells are far from new, the specific cultural and character details make it feel totally fresh and exciting. Centered on a central figure brought to life by an equally compelling young star, director Rafiki Fariala’s narrative feature debut is a total crowd-pleaser that sweeps its audience up in an invigorating story about the necessity of keeping one’s dreams constantly in focus, no matter how difficult the circumstances.
The titular boy from the Republic of the Congo is Robert (Bradley Fiomona Dembeasset), a teenager living as a refugee in Bangui, the capital city of the Central African Republic. He lives with his younger siblings on the compound of a ruthless military colonel, totally at the man’s mercy while he studies to pass his finals and free both of his parents from prison. Both of these goals require money in order to achieve them, but luckily, Robert has a gift that he hopes to monetize. He’s a talented singer and, thanks to a lucky break, he’s been given the opportunity to perform in front of an important local music producer. His song makes an impression, and he’s entered into a talent contest with a huge cash prize for the victor. But Robert’s situation is, obviously, far from easy, and many hurdles stand in the way of his being able to make it to the contest. He must work to overcome the difficulties he faces every day before he can even think about his talent show performance, but thankfully, Robert is confident in his abilities.
From the very first shot, with the camera moving backward as Robert walks toward it, totally filling the frame, the film is entirely centered around the young man. And thanks to Dembeasset’s engaging performance, combined with the gauntlet the screenplay puts him through, he’s a totally sympathetic, always compelling, and easy-to-root-for character. In fact, he’s almost pitiable, with the amount of strife that the screenplay piles on him. But Dembeasset doesn’t have the kind of kicked-puppy energy that might give the film an unwanted saccharine tone. He’s determined and focused in his pursuit of stardom, serving as an inspirational oasis amid the unforgiving desert of his world.
Robert is surrounded by folks with a collective every-man-for-himself perspective, where courtesy is a luxury and money runs everything. In other words, like so many others around the globe, he lives in a capitalist society, albeit one that specifically doesn’t pretend to be anything but centered around the individual. The general attitude of this setting and the people with whom Fariala populates it is inarguably exhausting, helping viewers to feel set on seeing Robert succeed just as the young boy is himself. At times, the seemingly endless parade of misfortunes and bad luck can feel repetitive, but the movie doesn’t ever feel unbelievable or excessively miserable. And Fariala directs the film with a style that reflects Robert’s lofty aspirations; the cinematography is especially notable, with vibrant lighting and effective use of shadows that visually accentuate Robert’s world.
Robert’s days and nights are delightfully filled with music. The very first voices that we hear in the film are singing, establishing the importance of songs to Robert and those around him. Throughout the film, whether he’s on stage or not, Robert always has a song to sing. He sings for comfort, for money, and for self-empowerment. Music has a transportive effect on him, both in how it takes him away from his present situation and in how he hopes it will quite literally move him toward a better life should his dreams be realized. Thankfully, Robert’s songs, all composed by the director himself, are propulsive and exciting, meaning the audience is never forced to waste time doubting that he has the stuff to make it. His voice has an unshakable honest quality, supported by dynamic underscoring and beats. As evidenced by the audience at the film’s Cannes premiere, it’s impossible to listen to his songs and not move to the rhythm. His final song, “Mama ti kondo,” is particularly exciting because of the context in which the conclusive musical moment occurs, the actual composition of the song itself, and Dembeasset’s thrilling performance.
“Congo Boy” is an uplifting tale of sacrifice and the necessity of unwaveringly aiming at one’s goals. As Robert’s journey shows, everyone has two options in life, no matter their circumstances: either accept their present situation for what it is, even if undesirable, or rise above it, unafraid to dream big and shoot high. Director Rafiki Fariala shows a clear gift for crafting an engrossing story, bringing an excitingly new approach to an oft-told tale.
