Please note: This was screened in Nov 2022
From the streets of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo come the hypnotic grooves of Benda Bilili a group of musicians like no other.
Four of the members are wheelchair users, moving around Kinshasa in Easy Rider style customised wheelchairs, accompanied by three homeless street children. With their improvised, home made instruments they support themselves by busking across the city.
The name means "look beyond appearances," and the members of this musical collective do just that. This remarkable documentary follows the band from their first recording session to worldwide acclaim – a testament to the group’s talent, ingenuity, humour and determination and will have you shaking your head in astonishment and moving your feet to some unstoppable beats.
Screening with short film Clothed with Protection, a new arts project by Luke Jerram in collaboration with Dr Chrissie Jones and funded by IMPRINT Network. The project commissions ten fashion designers in Kampala, Uganda to help shout about the protective benefits of vaccination in pregnancy for both mother and baby: “Vaccination clothes you and your baby with protection”.
Far too many newborns continue to die in early life, particularly in low and middle-income countries. Many die from infections that could be prevented by vaccination during pregnancy and infancy. Just as clothing protects us from the outside world, whether from extreme temperature, rain or abrasion, so vaccinations create a layer of protection from infection.
The journey of the project is filmed by Cinematic Media and this film, together with the clothing, preparatory drawings and music will form a touring exhibition which will be presented in museums of the UK.
