Disco Afrika: A Malagasy Story (2023)

Before the film starts, expect a short lecture on the broad and rich pan-African music genre, why it has become so popular in the Netherlands, and how music can be used during civil protests against corrupt governments.

A 20-year-old Kwame struggles to make a living as a clandestine sapphire miner. After the tragic death of a friend, he returns to his hometown and reunites with his mother and his old friends. He also gets unexpectedly taken back to the mystery of his father’s death, which occurred during a protest when he was only a child. 

As the title Disco Afrika expresses, Pan-African artistic and musical movements born out of the ’70s give the film its vibrant, revolutionary rhythm. Kwam’s finding of his own father having been involved in the musical activity is key to his journey. With its beautiful and powerful sound, the film brings us a taste of what the revolution in Madagascar was like in that period. 

It’s a coming-of-age story of a boy who finds political awakening by opening his eyes to the reality of oppression and corruption in his home country. While telling his personal stories, this film shares an important legacy of colonialism and the history of resistance. 

Disco Afrika: a Malagasy Story (2023) is the first feature film of Luck Razanajaona who is originally from Madagascar. It was screened at the Berlinale and won the Special Mention for the category of the Generation 14plus. 

His inspiration for making this film was to think about what it is like to live as the youth of the future in his home country, where there has been a regular crisis every 10 years, and he especially wants to address those who want to leave the country for Europe to pursue a better life, like Kwame wanted to do in the film, to remind them that it is up to them whether they are able to take control of their country.

About the talk

Before the film starts, Otiniel da Silva aka Mano will give a short lecture on the broad and rich pan-African music genre, why it has become so popular in the Netherlands, and how music can be used during civil protests against corrupt governments.

Angolan-born Otiniel da Silva, aka Mano, is a music enthusiast and socio-cultural activist. As director of his platform and festival Africadelic, he promotes, through music, film and surprising talks, the cultural creativity, diversity and activism of Africa and the African diaspora. In addition, in the form of talks, Africadelic always casts a critical eye on the state of the continent.

One of Africadelic’s main missions in Europe is to raise awareness about the colonial past, its effects in the present and how to work towards a hopeful future With this, Africadelic contributes to healing, empowerment and joy for Afrodescendants in the Netherlands and beyond.

During the Roffa Mon Amour Festival, prior to the film ‘Disco Africa’, Mano will talk about the revolutionary music of some of his favourite artists such as; Miriam Makeba, David Zé, Hugh Masekela & Fela Kuti. He will also share the stories of some important pan-Africanist heroes such as Kwame N’kruma, Patrice Lumbumba & Thomas Sankara.

Listen to the playlist Mano created here.

The talk starts at 21.15, please be on time.

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