Empire of Dust

Tuesday, October 20th, 7:30pm
Congo in Harlem 7
Presented by Friends of the Congo and True-Walker Productions
Empire of Dust

Empire of Dust
Bram Van Paesschen, Belgium, 2011, 77 min.
(Swahili, French & English w/ English subtitles)
Lao Yang and Eddy both work for a company called CREC (Chinese Railway Engineering Company). They have just set up camp near the remote mining town of Kolwezi in the Katanga province of the RDC. The goal of the company is to redo the road - covering 300km - that connects Kolwezi with the capital of the province Lubumbashi. Lao Yang is head of logistics of the group. With his Congolese translator Eddy Lao attempts to procure equipment, building materials and food from local Congolese entrepreneurs. What follows is a harsh, but light-hearted roller coaster of negotiations, misunderstandings, and culture clash.

Followed by Q&A with filmmaker Bram Van Paesschen and special guests.

This presentation is made possible in part with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts’ Electronic Media and Film Presentation Funds grant program, administered by The ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes.