''Identity Pieces'' (french: Pièces d'identités) is a

1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The '' Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently ...

Belgian/

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

/ Congolese

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

written and directed by

Mwezé Ngangura Mwezé Ngangura (born 7 October 1950) is a film director from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Early years Mwezé Ngangura was born in Bukavu, DRC on 7 October 1950. At the age of twenty he won a scholarship to go to Belgium and study ...

. It

premiere A première, also spelled premiere, is the debut (first public presentation) of a play, film, dance, or musical composition. A work will often have many premières: a world première (the first time it is shown anywhere in the world), its first ...

d at the 1998

Toronto International Film Festival The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world, attracting over 480,000 people annually. Since its founding in 1976, TIFF has grown to become a permane ...

Plot

Mani Kongo (Gérard Essomba) is the king of the

Bakongo The Kongo people ( kg, Bisi Kongo, , singular: ; also , singular: ) are a Bantu ethnic group primarily defined as the speakers of Kikongo. Subgroups include the Beembe, Bwende, Vili, Sundi, Yombe, Dondo, Lari, and others. They have lived ...

. His only daughter, Mwana (Dominique Mesa), left for Belgium as a young child in hopes of becoming a doctor, but contact with her had been lost over the past few years. Mani Kongo decides to travel to Belgium in search of his beloved daughter. On arriving he will have to cope with the very best and the very worst of the black diaspora, as well as with prejudices rampant in European society. He himself will find good friends amongst poor low-class whites.

Cast

* Gérard Essomba as Mani Kongo * Dominique Mesa as Mwana * Jean-Louis Daulne as Chaka-Jo * Herbert Flack as Jefke * David Steegen as Van Loo * Cecilia Kankonda as Safi * Thilombo Lubambu as Mayele * Mwanza Goutier as Viva-Wa-Viva (as Mouanza Goutier) * Nicola Donato as Jos

Awards

''Identity Pieces'' won several awards at the 1999 Panafrican Film and Television Festival, including the grand prize. It also won the People's Choice Award at the

Denver International Film Festival The Denver Film Festival is held in November, primarily at the Denver Film Center/Colfax, in Denver, Colorado, now the Anna and John J. Sie FilmCenter (Sie FilmCenter). Premiere events are held in the Buell Theatre and Ellie Caulkins Opera House ...

External links

* * 1998 films Belgian comedy films Democratic Republic of the Congo comedy films Films set in Belgium Films shot in Belgium Films set in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Films shot in the Democratic Republic of the Congo French comedy 1990s French-language films Wolof-language films 1998 comedy films Films directed by Mwezé Ngangura 1998 multilingual films Belgian multilingual films French multilingual films {{FESPACO Étalon de Yennenga, state=expanded