The Central Post-Office in Kinshasa, DR Congo is a grandiose relic of the colonial pastand has trapped its employees in a frozen time-warp from which they are planningtheir escape.
Info
| Title | White Elephant |
|---|---|
| Original title | Nzoku ya pembe |
| Original version | Dutch, French, Lingala, swahili |
| Status | Completed |
| Category | Docs |
| Year of production | 2011 |
Credits
| Cast | Henriette, Christelle, Freddy |
|---|---|
| Screenplay | Kristof Bilsen |
| Photography | Kristof Bilsen |
| Editing | Eduardo Serrano |
| Music | Jon Wygens |
Technical specs
| Running time film | 34' |
|---|---|
| Release format | HDCAM |
| Aspect ratio | 1:1.78 |
| Sound format | George Lingford |
| Colour | Colour |
Partners
| Supported by | Pascal Decroos Fund |
|---|
Flanders docs prominent at Margaret Mead
The Margaret Mead Film Festival (10-13 Nov) in New York has confirmed three Flemish documentaries for its line-up. Both Lotte Stoops’ Grande Hotel, which has the honour of opening the Fest, and Sofie Benoot’s Blue Meridian are selected for the ‘Filmmaker in Person’ programme. Kristof Bilsen’s White Elephant is screening in the shorts programme.
Earlier this year Grande Hotel had its international debut at the International Film Festival Rotterdam. From there it went on to be selected for the prestigious Hot Docs competition in Canada where it received an Honourable Mention. Months later, the film is still popular on the festival circuit as evidenced by the prestigious opening of the Margaret Mead Festival and selections for Silver Docs.
IDFA presents Flemish doc bonanza
A record-breaking haul of eleven documentaries and four docu projects from Flanders have been selected for this year’s IDFA, the international Documentary Film Festival of Amsterdam (16-27 November). Works from Jeremy De Ryckere and Kristof Bilsen, who recently graduated from RITS and NFTS (UK) respectively, are shown in the Student Documentary competition. The other entries feature in the Reflecting Images: Panorama, Paradocs section and IDFA pitching Forum.
Both Jeremy De Ryckere’s The Heir and Kristof Bilsen’s White Elephant compete for the IDFA Award for Best Student Documentary, worth €2,500. The Heir tells the story of a father, Raf, and a son, Dominique, and their relationship to their passion: horse racing, a long family tradition. White Elephant is a documentary about the Central Post Office and its employees in Kinshasa, DR Congo. This grandiose relic of a colonial past has trapped its employees in a frozen timewarp from which they are planning their escape. Last year the Award for Best Student Documentary went to the Flemish doc What’s in a Name by Eva Küpper.
Last edited on 15 November 2011