Lumumba (2000)

The true story of controversial leader of independent Congo, Patrice Lumumba.

Director:

Raoul Peck

Writers:

Pascal Bonitzer, Dan Edelstein

Stars:

Eriq Ebouaney, Alex Descas, Théophile Sowié

3 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Eriq Ebouaney	...	Patrice Émery Lumumba
Alex Descas	...	Joseph Mobutu
Théophile Sowié	...	Maurice Mpolo (as Théophile Moussa Sowie)
Maka Kotto	...	Joseph Kasa Vubu
Dieudonné Kabongo	...	Godefroid Munungo
Pascal N'Zonzi	...	Moïse Tshombe
André Debaar	...	Walter J. Ganshof Van der Meersch
Cheik Doukouré	...	Joseph Okito
Makena Diop	...	Thomas Kanza (as Oumar Diop Makena)
Mariam Kaba	...	Pauline Lumumba
Rudi Delhem	...	Général Emile Janssens
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Francis Adam	...	Le maître d'hôtel
Olivier Bony	...	BAUDOIN
Alain Bouillé	...	Le pilote du Dakota
Pavel Dobrovsky	...	Belgian soldier

Storyline

The true story of the rise to power and brutal assassination of the formerly vilified and later redeemed leader of the independent Congo, Patrice Lumumba. Using newly discovered historical evidence, Haitian-born and later Congo-raised writer and director Raoul Peck renders an emotional and tautly woven account of the mail clerk and beer salesman with a flair for oratory and an uncompromising belief in the capacity of his homeland to build a prosperous nation independent of its former Belgium overlords. Lumumba emerges here as the heroic sacrificial lamb dubiously portrayed by the international media and led to slaughter by commercial and political interests in Belgium, the United States, the international community, and Lumumba's own administration; a true story of political intrigue and murder where political entities, captains of commerce, and the military dovetail in their quest for economic and political hegemony.

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Plot Keywords:

deception | belgian history | chopping up a corpse | africa | intrigue | 

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History | War

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

France Belgium Germany Haiti

Language:

French Lingala English

Release Date:

27 September 2000 (Belgium)

Also Known As:

Lumumba, retour au Congo

Filming Locations:

Belgium

Box Office

Gross USA:

$352,296

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$352,296

Company Credits

Production Co:

ARTE, Arte France Cinéma, Canal+

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min 120 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Did You Know?

Trivia

Stolen Images, published by Seven Stories Press, presents images from Raoul Peck's films and scripts, including Lumumba.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Patrice Émery Lumumba: [voice over narration] You never knew about that night in Katanga. No one was to know.

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Alternate Versions

Frank Carlucci, who was second secretary at the U.S. embassy in the Congo at the time of Lumumba's assassination, is portrayed in one scene discussing the murder with U.S. Ambassador Clare Timberlake and several Belgian and Congolese officials. Carlucci threatened to sue U.S. distributor Zeitgeist Films if his name was not removed from the movie. Zeitgeist was too small to fight any potential lawsuit, so all non-theatrical U.S. releases of the film (including the version shown on HBO and potential VHS and DVD releases) have Carlucci's name bleeped from the dialogue and masked in the closing credits.

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Connections

Referenced in Femme Fatale: From Dream to Reality (2003)

User Reviews

Essential viewing

I feel very fortunate to have the chance to not only watch this film, but also learn more about this fascinating person and time. Lumumba is an outstanding portrayal, giving a full sense of the story without falling into the usual Hollywood trappings - yes, he is shown with his wife and children, but the essence of the story is his politics and those of the still-emerging independent Congo. The film is brilliantly made, moving along at a pace that is consistently engaging. I look forward to seeing other Raoul Peck films, as well as more from Eric Ebouaney!