L’ARBRE DE L’AUTHENTICITÉ (THE TREE OF AUTHENTICITY)

This reflection on colonialism and ecology in the Congo Basin bridges the gap between past and future: at its heart lies the former Belgian research station at Yangambi, where the growth and ‘behaviour’ of trees were documented between 1937 and 1958. Drawing on journal entries, the film presents the perspectives of a Congolese scientist and a Belgian colonial officer – and then gives a voice to Lileko, a 300-year-old tree. Through drone footage and dense soundscapes, pressing questions about knowledge, nature and their exploitation come to the fore.