A documentary on the turbulent months from the election of Patrice Lumumba in May 1960 as the Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to his assassination seven months later. This is interpolated with musical sequences by jazz artists like Louis Armstrong and Nina Simone who were sent to Africa as musical ambassadors but were used (without their knowledge) as fronts by the CIA whose motives were less than honest. Directed by Johan Grimonprez, the film was a nominee for the best documentary Oscar this year. It's just crammed with so much information that my head was spinning as I tried to absorb it all. Made entirely with archival footage, it takes us behind the scenes as we discover the seemingly benign Eisenhower administration was far from benign. It's an intense mixture of music and politics that exposes the evil machinations of colonial nations and the attempts to suppress true freedom for African independence while governments (the U.S. the most prominent) want enough control to benefit from Africa's resources. A must see and an eye opener but it's not a casual watch. It requires all your concentration.
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