Matamata and Pilipili 1996
Distributed by First Run/Icarus Films, 32 Court St., 21st Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201; 800-876-1710
Produced by Tristan Bourland
Director n/a
VHS, color and b&, 55 min.
Adult
African American Studies, Literature
Date Entered: 11/09/2018
Reviewed by Gerald Notaro, University Librarian, Nelson Poynter Memorial Library, University of South Florida, St. PetersburgMatamata and Pilipili is clearly much more than a film oddity or curiosity. The discovery of these long lost reels from the Belgian Congo has produced a rare and revealing look into colonial Africa. The documentary presents the times in a straightforward manner and allows its viewers their own conclusions.
Catholic missionary priests from Flanders converged upon the Congo to spread the good news to the natives. One of the ways the priests would attract the Congolese to the churches was to show "moving pictures" on hung sheets. Sometimes the priests would travel to the villages outside of the capitol with projectors and reels in tow. While fascinated with the technology, the Africans had trouble identifying with the Western characters and situations. One of the missionaries, Albert Van Haelst, had a keen interest in film and some basic knowledge of filmmaking. Nicknamed "Father Cinema", he created the Matamata and Pilipili characters, a sort of Abbott and Costello, and put them in situations and settings to which the native population could relate. The brilliance and huge success of Van Haelst's creations under Luluafilm, was that they were short, silent, simple, and always involved a moral, or parable-like, ending. Matamata and Pilipili have universal appeal, much like the innocence of the early Mack Sennett films. They did not need sound, and it is a testament to their appeal that the subtitles appear in five languages. Many of the series' plots reflected colonial social inequities.
The film contains citizens of modern Zaire screening the series for the first time in many years. Though the films are products of colonialism, they are remembered fondly and with reverence. The retired missionaries were equally moved and amused at the restored prints. Strangely, the countryside looks more beautiful and exotic in black and white. The actor who portrayed the portly Matamata became Africa's first black film star. He ultimately sued the priests for copyright and performance rights compensation. The fighting between tribes and for independence ended the films. The documentary also includes critical narrative from those who find the films demeaning, similar to the objection to Amos and Andy videotapes.
Matamata and Pilipili has rightly won international critical acclaim and recognition. It makes an important addition to all video collections. Highly recommended.