Written by Joel Karekezi, Casey Schroen et Aurélien Bodinaux
Directed by Joel Karekezi
In the Kivu jungle in Congo, Sergeant Xavier, a Rwandese hero of war, and the young and unexperimented private Faustin are in enemy territory where they wage a blurry war.
When the two men lose their battalion, they are left alone without resources, lost in the inextricable Congolese jungle, known to be the widest, thickest and most dangerous in the continent. Caught between the raging fights where the enemies aren’t differentiated from the allies, they have no choice but to push deeper into the green hell. Searching for water, food and a way out, they are exposed to an omnipresent hostility. Alone, they must face their own demons.
Film about a war with an antimilitarist aim, The Mercy of the Jungle shows the open wounds left by the fights and questions the place of humanity in armed conflicts.
Directed by Joel Karekezi
Screenplay by Casey Schroen, Joel Karekezi
Story by Casey Schroen, Joel Karekezi and Aurélien Bodinaux
Produced by Aurelien Bodinaux - Neon Rouge (Be)
Coproduced by Oualid Baha - Tact Production (Fr)
Distribution France Urban Distribution
International Sales Urban Distribution Intl
Distribution Belgium Bardafeu Distribution
Associate Producers Casey Schroen, Alex Moussa Sawadogo, Joel Karekezi - Karekezi Film Production
With Marc Zinga
With Stéphane Bak
With Ibrahim Ahmed "Pino"
With Nirere Shanel
With Abby Mukiibi
With Michael Wawuyo
With Joel Prynce Atiku Okuyo
With Kantarama Gahigiri
With River Dan Rugaju
With Ronald Ssemaganda
Produced with the support of Eurimages, Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, Aide aux Cinémas du Monde - Centre National du Cinéma et de l'Image Animée - Institut Français, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale, Fonds Image de la Francophonie, Coopération Belge au Développement - DGD, Berlinale World Cinema Fund, Tax Shelter du Gouvernement Fédéral Belge
In coproduction with TV5MONDE, Voo et Betv, Canal + International
In association with Take Five
Development Aid Institut Français, La Fabrique Cinéma de l'Institut Français
Developed with Afrikamera, Atelier Grand Nord, Durban Film Mart, Durban International Film Festival, Forum de Production de Namur, Locarno Open Doors, Luxor African Film Festival, Maisha Film Lab, Rencontres de Coproduction Francophone.
Line Producer Oualid Baha
Production Managers Oualid Baha, Michael Wawuyo
Unit Production Manager Kantarama Gahigiri
Production Administrator Laurent Louis-De Wandeleer
Production Coordinator Rhian Vialva
1st AD Kantarama Gahigiri
2nd Assistant Director Patience Asaba Katushabe
2nd 2nd Assistant Director Davidson Mugume
Script Supervisor Ednah Nakakembo
Director of Photography Joachim Philippe
1st Assistant Camera Brice Dejardin
2nd Assistant Camera Emmanuel Gashumba
DIT Antoine Donnet
Gaffer Emmanuel Gashumba
Key Grip Kenneth Ssentamu
Electrician Abdul Ssejombwe
Spark Electrician Emmanuel Nsubuga
Best Boy Kalyango Med
Generator Operator Michael Mujimba
Sound Benoît de Clerck
Boom Operator Cedrick Mbongo Mbulu
Production Designer Geneviève Leyh
Set Designer & Set Dresser Apollo Asea
Assistant Set Dressers Humphrey Asea, Ronald Mutike
Property Master Oscar Ssenyonga
Assistants to Property Master Michael Wawuyo Jr., Oscar Kivumbi
Location Manager Michael Wawuyo
Assistant Location Manager Maureen Jolly Nankya
Hair, Makeup, Costume Designer Shakira Kibirige
Key Hairstylist Shakira Kibirige
Key Makeup Artist Shakira Kibirige
Makeup Artist Nadeen Mateky
Special Effects Makeup Artist Shakira Kibirige
1st Assistant Makeup Artist Daphine Kateregga
2nd Assistant Makeup Artist Rose Kebirungi
Key Costumer Shakira Kibirige
Set Costumer Rose Kebirungi
Assistant Set Costumer Henry Nsekero Mazinga
Costume Buyer Nankya Sarah Sorea
Tailor Brenda Namwesezi
Soldier Uniforms Andrew Afande Kiyegga
Casting Director Kadija Leclere
Casting Extras Sharon Gayita
Extras Casting Coordinators Igongo Assad, Joseph Talemwa, Simeon Nuwaagba
Rain Effects Michael Wawuyo, Michael Wawuyo Jr.
Gunshots Nickson
Stunts Coordinator Michael Wawuyo
Videographer, 'the Making of' Ali Musoke
Behind the Scenes Photographer Cindy Sechet
Editor, 'the Making of' Ali Musoke
Transportation Captain Kigongo Moses
Drivers Joshua Agaba, Hussein Nagembe Ridger, Oketcho Lastone, Ibrahim Namugera, Abdul Kigundu, Achileo Sserugunda, Moses Olwenyi
Security Mutete Wilberforce, Farouk Masinde, Ramathan Mpanguzi, Gad Kanyangyeyo, Albert Marahi
Editor Antoine Donnet
Post Production Coordination and Planning Leslie Foubert, Kristof Thues
Online Editor VFX Niels Christensen
Mastering Robin Van Den Acker
Compositor Kenneth Dingens
Colour Grading Tom Mulder
Main Titles Robin Van Den Acker
Music Composer Line Adam
Music Engineer Colin Burton
Singer, Songwriter Nirere Shanel
Musicians Line Adam, Hugo Pasqualini, Gauthier Lisein, Pascal Chardome, Hugo Adam
Genre Feature length, Fiction
Languages French, Swahili
Subtitles French, Dutch, English, Swahili, Portuguese, Japanese
Format 2.39
Sound 5.1 Dolby Surround
Shot on Alexa Mini
(tiff) Toronto International Film Festival (Toronto, Canada - 09/2018)
Discovery section
FIFF Namur (Namur, Belgium - 10/2018)
Nomination: Official Competition; The Cinevox Prize, The Critics Prize; The Junior Jury's Prize
Milano Film Festival (Milan, Italy - 10/2018)
Digital Award
54th Chicago International Film Festival (Chicago, USA - 10/2018)
Silver Hugo Award, New Directors Competition
Carthage Film Festival (Carthage, Tunisia - 11/2018)
Nomination: Official Competition Narrative Feature Films
Joburg Film Festival (Johannesburg, South Africa - 11/2018)
Afrikamera (Berlin, Germany - 11/2018)
Opening Night Feature
International Film Festival of India (Goa, India - 11/2018)
Nomination: ICFT UNESCO Gandhi Medal
Les Arcs Film Festival (Paris, France - 12/2018)
Hauteur Programme
Festival du Cinéma Africain de Khouribga
(Khouribga, Morocco - 12/2018)
Best Screenplay
Best Supporting Actor
International Film Festival Rotterdam (Rotterdam, Netherlands - 01/2019)
Bright Future Section
Göteborg Film Festival (Göteborg, Sweden - 01/2019)
Bengaluru International Film Festival (Bengaluru, India - 02/2019)
Contemporary World Cinema Section
Lumiéres du Sud - Rencontres Cinématographiques de Jacmel (Jacmel, Haiti - 01/2019)
FESPACO (Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso - 02/2019)
Etalon d'Or de Yennenga - Grand Prix
Meilleure Interprétation Masculine
(FICCI) Festival Internacional de Cine de Cartagena de Indias (Cartagena, Colombia - 03/2019)
World Fiction Section
AFI Silver New African Film Festival (Washington, USA - 03/2019)
(FICBAQ) Festival Internacional de Cine de Barranquilla (Barranquilla, Colombia - 03/2019)
Blue Lobster Competition
Luxor African Film Festival (Luxor, Egypt - 03/2019)
Freedom Official Competition
Special Jury-Silver Tutankhamun Award
ATESIB! African Film Festival Tel Aviv (Tel Aviv, Israel - 03/2019)
Vues d'Afrique (Montreal, Canada - 04/2019)
Soirée d'ouverture
(AFFNZ) African Film Festival New Zealand (Auckland, New Zealand - 04/2019)
Festival Wallay Barcelona African Film Festival (Barcelona, Spain - 04/2019)
Spanish Premiere
Mooov Film Festival (Belgium - 05/2019)
FCAT Festival de Cine Africano (Tarifa, Spain - 05/2019)
African Film Festival New York (New York, USA - 06/2019)
Centerpiece Film
Seattle International Film Festival (Seattle, USA - 06/2019)
Nairobi Film Festival (Nairobi, Kenya - 06/2019)
FESTICAB (Bujumbura, Burundi - 06/2019)
Compétition, Long Métrage de Fiction
Ecrans Noirs (Yaoundé, Cameroun - 07/2019)
Ecran d'or
Congo International Film Festival (Goma, Congo - 07/2019)
Lake Como Film Festival (Como, Italy - 07/2019)
(TICAD) Tokyo International Conference on African Development (Tokyo, Japan - 08/2019)
Festival des Cinémas d'Afrique de Lausanne (Lausanne, Switzerland - 08/2019)
Afrika Film Festival Cologne (Cologne, Germany - 09/2019)
Biennale de Luanda-UNESCO (Luanda, Angola - 09/2019)
Filmhuis Den Haag (Den Haag, Netherlands - 10/2019)
Opening Night Feature
Rwanda Film Festival (Kigali, Rwanda - 10/2019)
Best Long Feature Film
Africa in Motion Film Festival (Edinburg, Scotland - 10/2019)
FIF Tübingen (Tübingen, Germany - 11/2019)
(Viennale) Vienna International Film Festival (Vienna, Austria - 11/2019)
Austrian Premiere
Africa Movie Academy Awards (Lagos, Nigeria - 10/2019)
Winner: Best Film
Winner: Best Achievement in Make-Up
Winner: Best Achievement in Costume Design
Winner: Best Actor in a Leading Role (Marc Zinga)
Nomination: Best Director
Nomination: Best Achievement in Cinematography
Nomination: Best Achievement in Editing
Nomination: Best Achievement in Production Design
Nomination: Best Achievement in Soundtrack
Cinemania (Montréal, Canada - 11/2019)
Augen Blicke Afrika Festival (Hamburg, Germany - 11/2019)
(FICA) 10è édition du Festival international du cinéma d’Alger (Alger, Algérie - 11/2019)
Prix Spécial du Jury Fictions Award
African Film Festival of Verona (Verona, Italy - 11/2019)
Competition Panoramafica
AfryKamera (Warsaw, Poland - 12/2019)
Cascade Festival of African Films (Oregon, USA - 02/2020)
(PAFF) Pan African Film and Arts Festival (Los Angeles, USA - 02-2020)
Jury Best Feature Narrative Award
Le FrancoFilm Festival ((Abu Dhabi & Dubai, UAE - 03/2020)