KINSHASA SYMPHONY

You will have never seen a performance of Beethoven’s Ninth quite like this. In Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, a tree trunk provides the perfect wood for a cello and a hubcap serves as a substitute cymbal for a drum kit. A choir made up of people from all walks of life phonetically learns the symphony’s German text. The conductor, a former pilot, gives it his all to bring the absolute best out of everyone and pull off their open-air premiere. It is their enthusiasm for classical music alone that invigorates the amateur orchestra and lets the musicians escape the hardships of their everyday lives for just a few moments. This is a beautiful story from a country that is still suffering the consequences of its long civil war. A comforting film about the all-consuming power of music.