La Vie est belle () is a 1987 musical comedy directed by Mwezé Ngangura and Benoît Lamy. The film is set in Kinshasa's music scene and tells the rags-to-riches story of a poor village musician, played by Papa Wemba, who moves to the city hoping to build a successful music career. Instead of focusing on the effects of colonialism, as many African films of the time did, La Vie est belle celebrates Congolese culture, music, and daily life in Kinshasa. The cast also includes Bibi Krubwa Landu, Landu Nzunzimbu Matshia, Kanku Kasongo, Lokinda Mengi, Feza Alfa, Pépé Kallé and Rody Emoro.
Ngangura was inspired to make La vie est belle after attending the Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou, where his short film Kin-Kiesse (1983) won the award for Best Documentary. After watching many of the films shown at the festival, he believed that they did not speak directly to African audiences because they focused more on showing Africa than on telling stories about the lives of its people. He also drew ideas from comedy sketches that were regularly shown on national television and were popular because they focused on the daily experiences of ordinary people. Choosing Papa Wemba and music as the main focus was a deliberate decision to appeal to audiences in the Congo and throughout Africa, where Congolese musicians were among the continent's most popular performers.
Plot
Kourou (played by Papa Wemba) goes from his village to Kinshasa, his heart full of dreams of music and success. The capital city of Zaire is then the center of "World Music". Once there, he falls in love with Kabibi, a virginal young woman who wants to be a secretary. Unfortunately Nvouandou, a club owner searching for a second wife, also wants to marry her. Will Nvouandou's first wife turn out to be the best ally for young Kourou?
Cast Character Actor Kourou Papa Wemba Kabibi Bibi Krubwa Mamou Landu Matshia Clementine Nvouandou Kanko Kasongo Nzazi Lokinda Feza Mongali Kalimazi Riva Emoro Himself Pépé Kallé Himself
Awards The Georges Delerue Prize of the Ghent International Film Festival (1987) Bronze Mask of Taormina International Film Festival.
References
External links (license CC BY-SA-3.0)