The Tree of Authenticity

Sammy Baloji / Democratic Republic of Congo, Belgium / 2025 / Czech Premiere / 89 min.

synopsis

The rainforests of the Congo, the second largest in terms of area, form the biological memory of the planet, colonization, and climate change. The Congolese diaries from 1937–1958, discovered by Professor Hufkens from the University of Ghent, are, on the contrary, an exact scientific record examining the climate, realities, and natural wealth of a landscape ravaged by the political and economic storms of recent centuries. This somnambulistic documentary essay oscillates between ethnographic study, historical detective story, and poetic fresco. The ambient soundtrack is a soundtrack of fantasies of a terrifying jungle, extensive rubber and palm oil mining, and the terror of civilization.

“I am Lileko. The tree of kings. The bearer of authenticity. The killer of fish. The giver of power. We are the saviours of the world. The myth makers. The climate workers. And I bear witness. To the destruction around us. And to the stubborn hopes of men.” — quote from the movie

biography

Sammy Baloji (born 1978) is a Congolese filmmaker who divides his time between Lubumbashi and Brussels. Since 2005, his documentaries have explored the cultural, architectural and industrial heritage of the Katanga region, as well as the period of Belgian colonisation. His critical creative method forms the basis for a new construction of collective memory.

film details

director:	Sammy Baloji
cast:	Edson Anibal, Diederick Peeters
producer:	Rosa Spaliviero
script:	Ellen Meiresonne, David Van Reybrouck, Thomas Hendriks
photography:	Franck Moka
editing:	Luca Mattei
sound:	Chris Watson
sound design:	Laszlo Umbreit