Past screening

Forest of the Dancing Spirits

Directed by: Linda Västrik
Runtime: 1hr 44min Year: 2013
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Details

Directed by: Linda Västrik
Runtime: 1hr 44min Year: 2013
Country: Sweden, Canada
Topics: Personal Stories
Last Screened: Thu 12th Jun 2014

This astonishing film takes us into the lives of the 'Aka' who have lived deep in the heart of the Congolese rainforest without contact with the outside world for generations.

The film centres on the story of Akaya and Kengole, a young couple struggling to have a child while also revealing a portrait of the tight-knit community that surrounds them. The focus is a story about love, faith, and community, which is being threatened by the expansion of international tree logging companies.

Director Linda Vastrik worked on the film for seven years. Living with the Aka for extended periods of time, she gains their friendship and we are introduced to their mythological gods, the dancing spirits. This film is a rare and stunning insight into a unique society.