Sur le fil du Zénith

Spoken: French, Fang. Subtitles: English. 

"Who were we, before we were discovered?" That is one of the things Pontalier wonders aloud in her accompanying voiceover. As images of Gabonese jungles and villages calmly pass by, accompanied by a soothing soundscape of crickets, the filmmaker recalls memories of her family. About transcendent experiences, with ancestors making contact to keep their traditions alive.

In her film Sur le fil du Zénith, filmmaker Natyvel Pontalier dives into the culture of her Gabonese ancestors, one that had to give way to that of Christian settlers centuries ago. The musical and spiritual traditions of the Fangs, discussed at length, show that nothing has been lost in the past centuries. While imposed culture leaves its mark, an indestructible individuality has always been preserved underneath. 

Nominated for the Vlaamse UNESCO Commisie Competition.
With filmmaker Natyvel Pontalier.

Saturday 29th of April, 11:00 in M Leuven. 

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Five films were nominated for the Africa Film Festival 2023 Prize of the Flemish UNESCO Commission on the theme of Intangible Heritage. This is part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Preserving intangible heritage can contribute to strengthening cultural identity, social cohesion of communities and promoting sustainable development. It can also promote other SDGs, such as quality education and Peace and Justice.