Disco Afrika : Une histoire malgache

In Madagascar, 20-year-old Kwame struggles to make a living in the clandestine sapphire mines. An unexpected event takes him back to his hometown. There, as he is reunited with his mother and old friends, he is also confronted by the rampant corruption that plagues his country. Kwame is forced to choose between easy money and loyalty; between individualism and a political awakening. The young protagonist Kwame seems to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders but he always finds the strength to search for answers and a way to a better future. The film echoes the African civil rights movements of the 1970s – an era which marked an artistic and musical awakening as a continuation of the struggle for independence. In Kwame’s personal story, the film also addresses the legacy of colonialism and the history of resistance and throws a spotlight on the contemporary situation. (Berlinale)