Congo in Four Acts

LADIES IN WAITING - In a run-down maternity hospital, a ward of women who have recently had their babies wait to be allowed to leave. The problem? They cannot pay the hospital fees. A long-suffering manager must negotiate collateral with them so they will return and pay in full: a celebration dress, a pair of earrings, a suitcase. SYMPHONY KINSHASA - Take a hard-hitting tour through Congo's capital city and discover the consequences of graft, neglect and poverty, as Siku's film reveals Kinshasa'a imploding infrastructure. Malaria is rife, fresh water is as rare as flood water is common, electricity cables lie bare and live in the street, garbage is everywhere and as a priest notes "living in the capital is like living in a village. The services are the same, non-existent." It's not pretty but it's revelatory. ZERO TOLERANCE - Rape as a weapon of war has had much press, most notably in the recent Congo wars. Less discussed is the legacy it has left behind; a desensitized acceptance of ...