The Tree of Authenticity

Synopsis

In the heart of the Congo rainforest, the remains of a research centre dedicated to tropical agriculture reveal the burden of the colonial past and its inextricable links to contemporary climate change. The film recounts the stigma of ecological destruction that began at the time of colonisation through the voices of two emblematic scientists who worked at Yangambi INERA Research Station between 1910 and 1950: Paul Panda Farnana and Abiron Beirnaert. 

Directors' Biography

The artist Sammy Baloji lives and works between Lubumbashi and Brussels. Since 2005, he has been exploring the memory and history of the DRC. His work is an investigation into the cultural, architectural and industrial heritage of the Katanga region, as well as the impact of Belgian colonisation.