FNC – The Tree of Authenticity

Les nouveaux alchimistes

“Set amidst the ruins of Yangambi—once a prominent scientific outpost deep in the Congolese rainforest—The Tree of Authenticity delves into the ecological legacy of Belgian colonial rule. Through archival materials, testimonies, voiceover narration and arresting visual compositions, filmmaker Sammy Baloji resurrects the overlooked figures of Paul Panda Farnana and Abiron Beirnaert, two researchers who worked in Yangambi between 1910 and 1950. Their reanimated voices trace the history of a site once central to the study of tropical climates and ecosystems, now transformed into a potent symbol of colonial devastation. By weaving together past and present, this visually rich essay film examines the global impact of exploitative systems on land and people, urging a collective reckoning in the face of the climate crisis. Both poetic and political, the film unfolds between cinema and installation, memory and responsibility.”

Rotterdam Film Festival 2025 – Special Jury Award – Tiger Competition