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Benda Bilili!

Play trailer Poster for Benda Bilili! PG-13 Released Sep 30, 2011 1h 25m Documentary Music Play Trailer Watchlist
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93% Tomatometer 28 Reviews 82% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
African adults, many crippled by polio, join with street youths to form a music group in Kinshasa.

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Benda Bilili!

Critics Reviews

View All (28) Critics Reviews
Stephanie Merry Washington Post Staff Benda Bilili's unlikely triumph is an epic feat, with or without anyone's help. Rated: 2.5/4 Oct 14, 2011 Full Review Peter Howell Toronto Star From out of the gloom comes the hypnotic grooves of a band called Staff Benda Bilili. The name means "look beyond appearances," and the members of this remarkable musical collective do just that. Rated: 3/4 Oct 14, 2011 Full Review Radheyan Simonpillai NOW Toronto The music speaks volumes about who they are and where they come from. Rated: 3/5 Oct 14, 2011 Full Review Neely Swanson Easy Reader (California) Any time spent with Ricky is time well spent. Sep 16, 2017 Full Review Jim Slotek Jam! Movies Benda Bilili! is one of those overpoweringly redemptive stories that would be dismissed as sentimental wish-dream fiction if it weren't real. Rated: 4/5 Oct 14, 2011 Full Review Robin Clifford Reeling Reviews The tenacity of the homeless musicians in bringing their music to life, with the filmmakers' help, is an inspiration. Rated: B+ Oct 3, 2011 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (27) audience reviews
Audience Member If you should ever feel unhappy with your lot, try taking a look at these guys. This is courage in adversity, the power of solidarity. I'm almost ashamed to be living in Europe: certainly very aware that I shouldn't want to be living in Kinshasa. It's cold at night when you're sleeping on cardboard, with no cover. It's not about the hardship though, it's about hard work, friendship and achievement. And the power of music. And bicycles! Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/14/23 Full Review Audience Member Best music documentary since 'Searching For Sugarman'. It's a story of homeless congolese Ricky and his friends who overcome their roots and surroundings to become world music phenomenon. Not only they live in politically conflicted nation, they are also disabled and wheeled chaired. But that didn't stop Ricky and his bandmates to keep making amazing music, and french reporters who discovered them spent five years to finally release their album worldwide. The band's name 'Banda Bilili' means 'look beyond appearances' in the tribe's language, and what an appropriate name for a band who defies all the odds despite what people thought of them and their future. Enjoy the movie and most of it all, their music is twice as nice! Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/26/23 Full Review Audience Member A joyous music documentary says a lot about human endeavour as well as being talented musicians they encompass everything that it is dignity, respect and workmanship. Great music as well. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/24/23 Full Review Audience Member A man with nothing more than an empty tin and a piece of wire lifts himself and his family out of abject poverty. Infectious sprit, infectious beat. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/25/23 Full Review Audience Member Fantastic documentary and music video for enthusiasts of Congolese music. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/26/23 Full Review paul b A beautiful moving and touching documentary that really hit home (especially after watching the sickening Jubilee love in) this made me feel almost dirty that my country had decided to spend 1.2 billion pounds on a party for unelected multi-millionaires when these street kids dreamed of just having a floor to sleep on instead of cardboard. It's a humbling, non-exploitative roller coaster ride of a film and I defy anyone watching (and I urge you all to do so) to not buy the album afterwards - Sublime Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Benda Bilili!

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Cast & Crew

Movie Info

Synopsis African adults, many crippled by polio, join with street youths to form a music group in Kinshasa.
Director
Florent de La Tullaye, Renaud Barret
Producer
Yves Chanvillard, Nadim Cheikhrouha, Renaud Barret, Florent de La Tullaye
Screenwriter
Florent de La Tullaye, Renaud Barret
Distributor
National Geographic
Rating
PG-13 (Some Drug Material)
Genre
Documentary, Music
Original Language
Lingala
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 30, 2011, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 8, 2017
Runtime
1h 25m
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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