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Benda Bilili!

This joyous French documentary proved a worthy opener to the Directors’ Fortnight strand at Cannes. It’s about a group of seven Congolese musicians, the Staff Benda Bilili, four of whom are paraplegic. They started out playing (on mostly home-made instruments) in the most desolate parts of Kinshasa, where homeless street kids sleep on cardboard boxes.

They are a remarkable sight. Three of them get around on adapted tricycles, using their arms and upper body strength to ‘pedal.’ Another group member has no use in his legs, but is an extraordinary break-dancer who uses his arms to stay aloft. The music they play is urgent, bluesy and relates directly to their tough experience.

– David Gritten, Telegraph