We continue and present the projects selected by Les Nuits Photographiques 2015 awards, which took place on September 19th. Today is about “The Necessary Evil“, directed by Léonard Pongo, belgian photographer.
The Necessary Evil is a hybrid short movie filmed in Congo DR. It combines stills and moving images into a documentary short on faith & power. The purpose of the movie is to question faith, religion and power in the context of independent protestant churches in Congo DR. In a mostly christian country, where 90% of the population attends weekly service, the spread of these cults has known a steady rise in the last 20 years. Their self proclaimed leaders claim to have received god’s powers and to perform his will. In exchange for power and money, they claim to be able to fulfil miracles, to protect from the bad, ensure salvation and perform mystic healing.
This movie questions faith while looking at the power dynamic between pastors and believers.
About Léonard Pongo
Léonard Pongo graduated from Maastricht University with a BA in Social Sciences. During and after a training in documentary photography, Pongo worked in Eastern Europe, the Balkans, and is currently focusing on South-East Asia and Congo DR. His long term project “The Uncanny” started in Congo DR in 2011 has earned him several awards and international recognition. His work is featured in the Guardian, CNN, and several online publications. Pongo is also a tutor at Obscura festival.
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