Congolese cinema is heading to Montreal as Rumba Royale earns a place at the 2026 Montreal International Black Film Festival.
According to the Congolese Press Agency, the production team announced the selection on August 3, describing it as an important step for the international visibility of films made in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The film’s official project page also lists Rumba Royale as an official selection and Québec premiere at the Montreal festival. The event’s 22nd edition will take place in person and online from September 23 to 27, 2026.
For the artists, technicians and partners behind the production, the moment carries a message larger than one film: stories created in Kinshasa can travel, connect with international audiences and claim space on major cultural platforms.
A Congolese story made in Kinshasa
Rumba Royale is a 97-minute historical thriller set in Léopoldville, now Kinshasa, in 1959 as the country moved closer to independence.
The story follows Daniel, a young photographer who documents the energy of the Rumba Royale nightclub. His romance with Olive, a waitress who dreams of becoming a midwife, unfolds amid music, political tension and the changing social atmosphere of a city approaching a defining moment in its history.
When Daniel is accused of murder following a disappearance, the film turns into a search for truth and justice against the rhythm of a capital preparing for change.
The production was filmed entirely in Kinshasa with a Congolese technical team. It was co-directed by Congolese filmmaker Yohane Dean Lengol and Belgian-Iranian filmmaker Hamed Mobasser.
Fally Ipupa plays Daniel in his first major film role, alongside Mélanie Bokata as Olive. The cast also includes Cécile Djunga, Patrick Kabundi, Hénoc Kiyombo and Olivier Loustau.
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Congolese Film *Rumba Royale* Selected for Montreal Festival
Aug 3, 2026
Aug 5, 2026
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Congolese cinema is heading to Montreal as Rumba Royale earns a place at the 2026 Montreal International Black Film Festival.
According to the Congolese Press Agency, the production team announced the selection on August 3, describing it as an important step for the international visibility of films made in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The film’s official project page also lists Rumba Royale as an official selection and Québec premiere at the Montreal festival. The event’s 22nd edition will take place in person and online from September 23 to 27, 2026.
For the artists, technicians and partners behind the production, the moment carries a message larger than one film: stories created in Kinshasa can travel, connect with international audiences and claim space on major cultural platforms.
A Congolese story made in Kinshasa
Rumba Royale is a 97-minute historical thriller set in Léopoldville, now Kinshasa, in 1959 as the country moved closer to independence.
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The story follows Daniel, a young photographer who documents the energy of the Rumba Royale nightclub. His romance with Olive, a waitress who dreams of becoming a midwife, unfolds amid music, political tension and the changing social atmosphere of a city approaching a defining moment in its history.
When Daniel is accused of murder following a disappearance, the film turns into a search for truth and justice against the rhythm of a capital preparing for change.
The production was filmed entirely in Kinshasa with a Congolese technical team. It was co-directed by Congolese filmmaker Yohane Dean Lengol and Belgian-Iranian filmmaker Hamed Mobasser.
Fally Ipupa plays Daniel in his first major film role, alongside Mélanie Bokata as Olive. The cast also includes Cécile Djunga, Patrick Kabundi, Hénoc Kiyombo and Olivier Loustau.
From Congolese rumba to the international screen
The Montreal selection carries particular cultural meaning because rumba is not simply the film’s soundtrack. It is part of the story, the setting and the identity of the world portrayed on screen.
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Congolese rumba has travelled across generations and continents, carrying stories of love, freedom, daily life and national identity. Its recognition by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage in 2021 strengthened its place as one of the DRC’s most important cultural contributions to the world.
By placing rumba at the centre of a historical thriller, Rumba Royale allows international audiences to experience Congolese culture through cinema as well as music.
It also presents Kinshasa as more than a location. The city becomes a character in the film, a place of creativity, political awakening, fashion, nightlife and ambition during the final years of colonial rule.
A proud moment for Congolese film professionals
The selection gives international exposure not only to the actors and directors, but also to the Congolese camera crews, designers, technicians and other professionals whose work made the production possible.
For the DRC’s growing film industry, that visibility can help create new connections with festivals, distributors, producers and audiences outside the country. It can also encourage more investment in stories told from Congolese perspectives.
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The production team expressed hope that the Montreal appearance will help open doors for more Congolese films on the international stage.
“From Kinshasa to Montreal, rumba now resonates internationally,” the team said in its message announcing the selection.
The Montreal International Black Film Festival says its mission is to support independent filmmaking and give wider visibility to films exploring Black experiences around the world. That makes the festival a natural platform for a production combining Congolese history, music, romance and political transformation.
The complete public screening schedule, ticket information and presentation time for Rumba Royale have not yet been announced.
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