THE VILLAGE OF KENOU
Niek Nicolaes | Niederlande 2022 | 67 Min. | Aja, Afrikaans mit engl. Untertiteln
MONTAG, 08.05. | 17:00 Uhr
Votiv Kino, Gr. Saal | TICKETS
Österreichpremiere
In Anwesenheit von Niek Nicolaes
Die animistische Vodun-Kultur prägt das Dorfleben im westafrikanischem Kenou und ist im Alltag der Menschen stets präsent. Tassi, die älteste Bewohnerin des Dorfes, ist die Vodun-Priesterin, die im Namen der Gemeinschaft den Kontakt zu den Ahn*innen aufrechterhält. Bevor wichtige Entscheidungen getroffen werden oder um die Gemeinschaft vor Unheil zu bewahren, müssen die Vorfahr*innen konsultiert werden.
In enger Zusammenarbeit mit den Bewohner*innen folgt der Film dem Rhythmus des täglichen Lebens und portraitiert so eine Gemeinschaft, die tief verankert in animistischer Kultur lebt. Niek Nicolaes gelingt es dabei, die Komplexität und Poetik des Vodun in eindringlichen und bewegenden Bildern festzuhalten.
Regie: Niek Nicolaes
Kamera: Herma Darmstadt
Schnitt: Niek Nicolaes, Ilonka de Koning
Ton: Niek Nicolaes
Produktion: Niek Nicolaes
BIOGRAPHY
Niek Nicolaes was born in 1952 in the Netherlands. He studied clinical psychology and philosophy of science but in his 30s he decided to leave everything behind, seeking adventure and made his first travel crossing the Sahara with an old van. During this travel he is greatly impressed andfascinated by the strength and hospitality of the Africans and their way of facing life. Many moretrips followed, together with his wife and photographer Herma Darmstadt.
Since 2016 the couple frequent the small village of Kenouhoué in Benin as part of a collaborativeproject. When the inhabitants were exposed to Western perspectives on their culture through the creators, the idea for a film collaboration was born. Something which once started as a wild fantasy has developed into a wayward film four years later.
By now, the inhabitants are convinced that the creators of the film were sent by the vodun and their ancestors with a special mission: to bridge the gap between their world and the Western world.
Coincidence doesn’t exist for the people in Kenouhoue.
Coincidence only exists for people who do not want to know.
The film is his directing debut and was shot during several shooting periods from 2017-2021.
It was made independently and in full collaboration with the villagers.
