Benda Bilili

5 year documentary of street band in Kinsasha Republic of Congo, organized by Papa Ricky to support street children sleeping on cardboard. Victims of polio, many paraplegic, mobile via wheeled chairs, gather to create music for hope and survival. Street Daddy's first song implores mothers to vaccinate their children. Polio is a preventable disease with immunization. The constant music is infectious rhythmic original. Tres Tres Fort

Papa Ricky wants to record an album to financially support street children to attend school with residuals. During the recording session the community street home burns. Survival needs force the group to disperse. The French documentary crew who happened upon the band near the Kinsasha zoo and tried to help the band record an album are forced to return home.

In 2006 a French recording label underwrites the return of the film crew to complete the CD recording and film. The documentary pursues the search for the musicians throughout small villages in the Congo: have you heard of a boy who plays music on a tin can?

Roger 13yo built his own musical instrument from a tin can, inventing unique string tones, playing on the streets to support his mother. Coco plays guitar and sings of loss of love, the end of life and the remaining tendrils of human connection offered by cell phones.

The band's joyful choreographer is paraplegic. Life's possibilities are seen in the community sports team composed entirely of polio paraplegics.

Once all the musicians are rediscovered, they congregate near the Kinsasha zoo. They are determined to stay on the street, sleeping on cardboard together to finish their CD.

September 2007 the demo CD is completed to incredible excitement.

The French Cultural Center hosts the opening concert for the album with champagne. The album is released in France: paraplegics living on the streets near Kinsasha zoo, Staff Benda Bilili.

Band members acquire passports, visas to travel to Europe: 4 paraplegics in handmade wheelchair hand driven tricycles, and 3 others including Roger who are able bodied. Roger's family puts intense pressure on him to succeed in Europe.

Still sleeping on cardboard on the streets, bathing in bowls, they prepare for the adventure of Europe.

Arrival in France: the chickens here are huge! they sell us the skinny ones.

Bellfort France EuroRock music festival first stop in a number of countries to sing their songs or life in the Congo: children never listen, what do you do?

Germany, Denmark, trophies, Oslo: it's very cold. Work is serious business. We used to sleep on cardboard if you mess up here, you turn into an ice cube.

Today you have a plate, you used to eat on the ground don't forget. Today a plate, tomorrow the ground. Don't forget the wind can blow the other way. Staff Benda Belili

Argentinian Ambassador and wife congratulate them on their performance. Acclaim across Europe.

Those things on the ceiling are marijuana detectors, too much smoke they throw water all over, you have to leave the hotel. Papa Ricky

At the end of the documentary Roger is 18. Papa Ricky: we are old, you have to take over the band.

Despair, hope, reality, acceptance. A remarkable documentary of perseverance, continuing despite disappointment, survival. Keeping up the effort.

5 star 5 year slice of life from the streets of Kinsasha with joie de vivre. Rhythmic underbeat throughout. Music as healing.

Other DVDs about hope and change and growth: The First Grader, Desert Flower, Dhamma Brothers, Temple Grandin, Departures, Renaissance Man, The Hobart Shakespeareans, P.O.V.: What I Want My Words to Do to You.

Book about confronting our selves: The Empty Mirror: Experiences in a Japanese Zen Monastery

Benda Bilili look beyond appearances; this is a street band from the Congo, who are given the chance to record their music and tour Europe. We see the musicians, 4 who are paraplegic and 3 others, who make music that gives them this success. However, since this was filmed in 2004 and it is now years later that this is released, it would be nice to have a follow up to tell what has happened to these men.

We do see an amazing acceptance of life. That is one of the amazing features of this film, not to mention their infectious music.

We see a group of men who know "the wind can blow the other way". It is a philosophy that is as good as their music is engaging. It's an interesting film not only for the music but to see the life these men live in the Democratic Republic of Congo one that many should take note of. I just wish there was more of a follow-up from 2004 to 2010 when this program is dated.

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This documentary is inspiring and entertaining. My two youngest children (10 and 12) watched this with me. It is a social eye-opener and the music is fantastic! What a talented group.

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