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La Vie Est Belle
Directed by Ngangura Mweze and Bernard Lamy, Zaïre/Belguim. 85 minutes,
1987. In French with English subtitles.
Source: California
Newsreel
La Vie Est Belle takes us inside the vibrant music scene of Kinshasa,
Zaïre's exhilarating and exasperating capital. Its back alleys and
night clubs pulsate to the beat of some of the most influential
music in the world today. The film stars on of the legendary figures
of Zaïrean music, Papa Wemba. It tells the "rags to riches" story
of a poor rural musician who realizes that to succeed in today's
music world he must go to the city and break into radio and television.
In Kinshasa he uses his wit and talent to win a beautiful wife,
trick his greedy boss, and succeed in singing his "theme song" on
national television. This lively farce has an infectious spirit
that affirms life in the face of seemingly overwhelming obstacles,
capturing an essential part of contemporary African reality.
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