Onder het witte masker: de film die Haesaerts had kunnen maken

Under the White Mask: The Film That Haesaerts Could Have Made
Onder het witte masker: de film die Haesaerts had kunnen maken is a film that uses fragments from Under the Black Mask, an 1958 film about Congolese art directed by the Belgian artist Paul Haesaerts and qualified as colonial propaganda. This new piece imagines what the masks would have said. Aimé Césaire’s “Discourse on Colonialism” is spoken in Lingala for the first time. His words still form a confrontational mirror for Europe. In an attempt at reparation, the film limits itself to images, texts, and music already available to Haesaerts.
by Matthias De Groof
with Maravilha Munto
Belgium 2016 Lingala 9’ Colour

With

  • Maravilha Munto (Voice)

Crew

Written and Directed by Matthias De Groof
Cinematography Art et Cinema
Editing Neel Cockx, Matthias De Groof
Sound Design Neel Cockx
Producer Daniel De Valck

Matthias De Groof

Matthias De Groof is a philosopher, film scholar, and filmmaker.

Filmography

2008 ôtre k’ôtre; with Kristin Rogghe, video installation · A la mode des ancêtres; video installation · Jerusalem, the Adulterous Wife; 8 min. 2010 Lobi (Hier / Demain; with Kristin Rogghe, Pierre Kigoma, Mekhar Azari, Tocha Zaventen, Amourabinto Lukoji, Rek Kandol, Eric Biansueki, Androa Mindre, 35 min. 2012 Ceci n’est pas un documentaire sur Louvain-la-Neuve; 14 min. 2018 Lobi Kuna (avant-hier / après-demain; 45 min. · Diorama; 35 min. 2019 Palimpsest of the Africa Museum; 69 min. 2020 Onder het witte masker: de film die Haesaerts had kunnen maken (Under the White Mask: The Film That Haesaerts Could Have Made)

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2022