Mobutu, King of Zaire
Encyclopedia
Mobutu, King of Zaire is a 1999
documentary film about Joseph-Désiré Mobutu
, the former President of Zaire
.
The ultimate "African King, Joseph Désiré Mobutu was one of the most enduring and tenacious dictators to rise to power as a result of the Cold War
and the decolonisation.
November 1965. With the help of the CIA, Mobutu launched a coup d'état and seized power in the former Belgian Congo
. He renamed the country Zaïre
and imposed on his people a peace based upon fear, violence and repression.
In less than 25 years, this young sergeant of the colonial army became one of the richest and most feared men in the world. He sided with the West and built a pyramid of autocratic, predatory power, underpinned by money. He handed out favours and disgrace, and wielded absolute rule over the ruins of a country ravaged by corruption,.
Mobutu, King of Zaïre is the story of one man's exceptional destiny, founded on ambition and grandeur, betrayal and cowardice, a character worthy of the great Shakespearean tragedies.
and never before released. Completing these exceptional documents, are more than 50 hours of interviews with those close to the former president and the events surrounding his reign, conducted by the director in Kinshasa, Brussels, Paris and Washington.
Like a vast historical puzzle, this film pieces together the tragic history of a country, and its self-styled leader - the dictator, Mobutu Sese Seko
, "King of Zaïre".
1999 in film
The year 1999 in film involved several noteworthy events and has been called "The Year That Changed Movies". Several significant feature films, including Stanley Kubrick's final film Eyes Wide Shut, Pedro Almodóvar's first Oscar-winning film All About My Mother, science fiction The Matrix, Deep...
documentary film about Joseph-Désiré Mobutu
Mobutu Sese Seko
Mobutu Sese Seko Nkuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga , commonly known as Mobutu or Mobutu Sese Seko , born Joseph-Désiré Mobutu, was the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1965 to 1997...
, the former President of Zaire
Zaire
The Republic of Zaire was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between 27 October 1971 and 17 May 1997. The name of Zaire derives from the , itself an adaptation of the Kongo word nzere or nzadi, or "the river that swallows all rivers".-Self-proclaimed Father of the Nation:In...
.
Synopsis
"Of all the human passions, the appetite for domination is the most inebriating" (St. Augustine)The ultimate "African King, Joseph Désiré Mobutu was one of the most enduring and tenacious dictators to rise to power as a result of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
and the decolonisation.
November 1965. With the help of the CIA, Mobutu launched a coup d'état and seized power in the former Belgian Congo
Belgian Congo
The Belgian Congo was the formal title of present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo between King Leopold II's formal relinquishment of his personal control over the state to Belgium on 15 November 1908, and Congolese independence on 30 June 1960.-Congo Free State, 1884–1908:Until the latter...
. He renamed the country Zaïre
Zaire
The Republic of Zaire was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between 27 October 1971 and 17 May 1997. The name of Zaire derives from the , itself an adaptation of the Kongo word nzere or nzadi, or "the river that swallows all rivers".-Self-proclaimed Father of the Nation:In...
and imposed on his people a peace based upon fear, violence and repression.
In less than 25 years, this young sergeant of the colonial army became one of the richest and most feared men in the world. He sided with the West and built a pyramid of autocratic, predatory power, underpinned by money. He handed out favours and disgrace, and wielded absolute rule over the ruins of a country ravaged by corruption,.
Mobutu, King of Zaïre is the story of one man's exceptional destiny, founded on ambition and grandeur, betrayal and cowardice, a character worthy of the great Shakespearean tragedies.
The film: Its History
This film is the result of more than two years of work tracking down archive material and witnesses close to Mobutu in Africa, Europe and the U.S. More than 950 hours of footage have been seen by the world. Among the 104 hours selected as the basis for this film, are 30 hours of archives recently discovered in KinshasaKinshasa
Kinshasa is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The city is located on the Congo River....
and never before released. Completing these exceptional documents, are more than 50 hours of interviews with those close to the former president and the events surrounding his reign, conducted by the director in Kinshasa, Brussels, Paris and Washington.
Like a vast historical puzzle, this film pieces together the tragic history of a country, and its self-styled leader - the dictator, Mobutu Sese Seko
Mobutu Sese Seko
Mobutu Sese Seko Nkuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga , commonly known as Mobutu or Mobutu Sese Seko , born Joseph-Désiré Mobutu, was the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1965 to 1997...
, "King of Zaïre".
Awards
- Mention of honor in "Seen by Africa" on 1999 - Montreal - Canada
- Nominee in Los Angeles by international Documentary Association (IDA) for the IDA Awards - United States
- Special mention during the delivery of European Films Awards for Berlin - Germany