Have you ever visited or witnessed a solo performance of contemporary art? Big Bang Henda (Fernanda Polacow, 2023) offers a similar experience in the form of a documentary film. Director Polacow packages this documentary-poem-manifesto to document the work of Kiluanji Kia Henda, an Angolan artist whose work symbolizes resistance to colonialism and historical oppression.
The film opens with the song “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)”, juxtaposed with footage depicting the destruction of buildings and gunshot marks. These images serve as a metaphor for the destruction and damage left behind by colonialism. The song also ties in with the film’s overarching theme, which is a protest against the symbols of power and colonial narratives that are preserved in history. We also see much of Henda’s work that expresses and shows freedom through the medium of performing and visual arts.
Director Polacow divides the film into five acts: The Void, Ufolo, Black-skinned Colonizer, The Return, and New Frontiers. The narratives in each chapter are narrated by Kiluanji Kia Henda, who takes us on a reflective and contemplative journey about how past histories of violence, war, and colonization shape present-day identities and legacies. Director Polacow meticulously blends archival footage with contemporary scenes, giving us a provocative visual narrative. Big Bang Henda (2023) is not just a documentary. It is a performance art that invites the audience to reflect on the symbols around us. What do they represent? And who has the power to determine the narrative behind these symbols?
The film challenges its audience to rethink how generations shaped by war reflect on their experiences. Henda, through his works, brings small explosions that pave the way for us to see the world from a new perspective and invites us to be able to express what we are good at. (FadliAwan) (Ed. Vanis/Trans. Naufal Shabri)
Film Details
Big Bang Henda
Fernanda Polacow | 25 Min | 2023 | Angola, Portugal
Official Selection for Spektrum
Festival Film Dokumenter 2024
Screening Schedule
Nov. 2 | 19:00 WIB | Militaire Societeit, TBY
Nov. 7 | 19:00 WIB | Amphitheater, TBY
