Pointe-Noire Museum Reopens Its Cinema Hall
The ornate wooden doors of the Cercle Africain museum reopened on October 3, 2025, welcoming film enthusiasts for the first official screening in seven years. In the humid Pointe-Noire evening, residents queued near the mango trees, smartphones held high to capture this comeback.
The restart ceremony was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Cultural Industries and the Italian Embassy. They were surrounded by regional directors, Eni Congo executives, and schoolchildren waving miniature flags—a scene highlighting both institutional support and public anticipation.
Italian-Congolese Film Night Sells Out
In the darkened hall, two feature films were screened. Federico Bondi’s “Dafne” followed a witty young woman with Down syndrome guiding her grieving father; Richie Mbebelé’s suspenseful “Grave Mistake 2” analyzed friendship, betrayal, and revenge in the suburbs of Brazzaville.
Applause punctuated both screenings, while whispers compared camera work, lighting, and sound. Officials described the technical difference as minimal, praising the ingenuity of Congolese directors despite modest budgets.
Organizers presented the evening as a pilot for weekly Friday screenings. Posters announced Congolese documentaries, Italian comedies, and Gabonese short films, indicating the hall aims to become a regular cultural venue for the coastal city, not a sporadic one.
Mattei Plan Anchors Cultural Diplomacy
The screenings are part of Italy’s revised Mattei Plan, a joint framework for cooperation in energy, health, and culture across Africa. Diplomacy officials argued that cinema transforms diplomatic memorandums into stories people remember and retell at home.
Bilateral ties are already visible in Pointe-Noire, where Eni Congo operates offshore blocks and funds scholarship programs. The oil company sponsored new projectors and acoustic panels for the Cercle Africain hall, stating that local cultural capital complements the economic footprint it leaves in Kouilou communities.
Local Filmmakers Envision Sustainable Revival
For directors gathered in the lobby, the equipment upgrade addresses recurring complaints about halls unable to handle digital formats or surround sound. “Now we can present our films at home before rushing to festivals abroad,” said one screenwriter, referencing costly trips to Ouagadougou’s FESPACO.
The National Center of Cinema and Moving Images, whose representative was present, promised support by expediting classification certificates. Practically, this reduces bureaucracy from three months to three weeks—a timeline the guild believes could unleash a wave of short films before the December holidays.
Audience Reactions Signal Appetite for Cinema
After the closing credits, teenagers compared plot twists while retirees discussed the musical score, revealing cross-generational curiosity. Ticket prices were set at 1,000 CFA francs, roughly the cost of