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In 1925, the poet and songwriter Ernest Genval goes on an official mission to the Belgian Congo. For about a year, Genval and his collaborator Victor Morin criss-cross the country in order to film its the economic progress and development. In this period they make a series of promotional documentaries for local enterprises, one of which is From Boma to Tshela. The film seeks middle-ground between a travelogue (includ

Most films made in Belgian Congo were aimed at Belgian or international audiences. They were made for propaganda purposes to raise money and create public support for the colonial effort. In the 1950s film became an missionary instrument in another respect. Several missionaries started making films for the indigenous populations. Comment embellir notre foyer (How to decorate our home by Albert Van Haelst CICM) is an

The short documentary Peintres bantous (Bantou painters, 1952) the Belgian colonial officer and occasional documentary maker André Scohy highlights the work of Congolese artists. In the 1950 the interest in Conogolese arts evolved from an interest in traditional arts and crafs to an interest in individual artists (Mongita, Dombe, Bata, Kiabelua). Their work and talent is however assessed through a colonialist prism o