Identity Pieces (French: Pièces d'identités) is a 1998 Belgian/French/Congolese comedy film written and directed by Mwezé Ngangura. It premiered at the 1998 Toronto International Film Festival.

Identity Pieces
Movie poster
Directed byMwezé Ngangura
Written byMwezé Ngangura
Produced byMwezé Ngangura
CinematographyJacques Besse
Edited byFrance Duez
Ingrid Ralet
Music byJean-Louis Daulne
Papa Wemba
Distributed byCalifornia Newsreel (USA)
Release dates
  • 14 September 1998 (1998-09-14) (Canada)
  • 15 January 1999 (1999-01-15) (USA)
  • 19 May 1999 (1999-05-19) (Belgium)
  • 26 July 2000 (2000-07-26) (France)
Running time
97 minutes
CountriesBelgium
France
Democratic Republic of the Congo
LanguagesFrench
English
Dutch
Lingala
Kingwana
Kikongo
Tshiluba

Plot

edit

Mani Kongo (Gérard Essomba) is the king of the Bakongo. His only daughter, Mwana (Dominique Mesa), left for Belgium as a young child in hopes of becoming a doctor, but contact with her had been lost over the past few years. Mani Kongo decides to travel to Belgium in search of his beloved daughter. On arriving he will have to cope with the very best and the very worst of the black diaspora, as well as with prejudices rampant in European society. He himself will find good friends amongst poor low-class whites.

Cast

edit

Awards

edit

Identity Pieces won several awards at the 1999 Panafrican Film and Television Festival, including the grand prize. It also won the People's Choice Award at the Denver International Film Festival.

edit