The documentary film "Serpent de Bonanjo," directed by Lilia Kilburn and Max Mbakop, is in competition at the Cinéma du Réel Festival in Paris, taking place from March 21 to 28, 2026. This festival, in its 48th edition, presents 37 French and foreign works.
Filmed in the administrative district of Bonanjo in Douala, the film explores the vestiges of the colonial past through the eyes of young skaters. "Bonanjo bears the visible marks of our colonial history," explains Max Mbakop. The film highlights the vandalized monuments dedicated to Western soldiers, not as gratuitous acts of vandalism, but as "a form of expression. A popular, visceral response to an imposed history."
Lilia Kilburn, an American, and Max Mbakop, a Cameroonian, collaborated on this project after meeting through a friend. Their collaboration allowed for the crossing of gazes and perspectives. "Working with someone from elsewhere means accepting that their view of your own country is sometimes more precise than yours, because it is not subject to the same weight of familiarity," Mbakop emphasizes. Kilburn adds that this experience was a real awakening for her, allowing her to learn the history of Cameroon and, by extension, the history of the world.
The choice of French and English as the languages of the film came naturally, reflecting the bilingualism of Cameroon and the origins of the directors. However, the directors regret the absence of Cameroonian indigenous languages, a lack they hope to fill in future versions of the film.
The film's selection at the Cinéma du Réel Festival is seen as a strategic and symbolic inevitability. "This film deals with a relationship between Cameroon and France… Presenting it in France, in the heart of Paris, was like closing a loop, or perhaps opening a new one," explains the film crew.
Kilburn and Mbakop hope to screen "Serpent de Bonanjo" in other contexts, including in Cameroon at the Repdoul festival in 2027. They have just finalized the sound work of the film and are deploying the necessary efforts to ensure its international distribution. In the meantime, the film continues to generate interest and invites a deep reflection on the colonial legacy and collective memory.
