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The Importance of Being Elegant

Aug 14, 2004 · 1h 10m
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Documentary

PLOT

Set to the soundtrack of Papa Wemba's extraordinary music, this outrageous, funny and eye-opening film depicts the underground world of a flamboyant African cult. Papa Wemba is a well-known Congolese singer. He is also a big cheese in Le Sape, the Société des Ambianceurs et Persons Élégants, which translated into English means a society of people who spend huge amounts of money on designer clothes with the motive of making themselves as conspicuously elegant as possible. The film is a splendid evocation of Papa Wemba's music, but it is also an unusual insight into what it means to be an immigrant in contemporary Europe. The sapeur have borrowed from our own culture, creating something rich and strange and wholly Congolese. Don't miss the scene where they try on fur coats.

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CAST

Papa Wemba
Self
Anti-Gigolo
Self
Archibishop of La Sape
Self
Mere Malou
Self
Minister of the Budget
Self
Minister of the Attack
Self
Poison
Papa Wemba's bodyguard
Directed by George Amponsah

DETAILS

Status
Released
Original language
FR
Budget
$250,000
Revenue
—
Production
October Films, Dominant 7
Country
GB
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