Stop Filming Us

Synopsis

While shooting in Goma, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dutch documentary maker Joris Postema faces criticism from local artists and Congolese crew members for his one-sided reporting of their city. Eager to see what life looks like through the eyes of a local rather than an outsider, the director invites members of the local community to take part. Journalist Ley Uwera, photographer Mugabo Baritegera and filmmaker Bernadette Vivuya struggle to showcase their own experiences of life in Goma. Stop Filming Us becomes a metafilm about the ethics, limits and responsibilities of European filmmakers in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Bio/Filmo

Joris Postema (1973) studied economics and ethics at the University of Amsterdam and worked as a slow-motion operator for adverts and sporting events before discovering the power of documentary filmmaking. His debut film, FC Rwanda (2013), was shot in Africa and then travelled to festivals worldwide, and Daan’s Inheritance (2016) explored his friend Daan van der Elsken's relationship with his father, acclaimed filmmaker Ed van der Elsken. He continued in the same vein with the music documentary Vrienten & Vrienten in: Basmannen (2019), a touching portrait of two generations of bass players.