Silent Elections

The power goes off and the screen goes black: one of those innumerable moments of darkness when the buried memories from decades of conflict suddenly resurface. In the streets of Goma, children play at being news correspondents: Congo is preparing for its first democratic elections since 1960. Using a variety of sources, Sarah Vanagt collects elements from personal stories in a region torn apart by hatred and violence. Images and sound recordings taken by the children of Goma, TV news-clips and young soldiers’ accounts serve as her visual and audio material. Silent Elections  is a documentary film on the memory and imagination of young Congolese on the eve of potential political change in their country.