HOLLOW CITY (NE CIDADE VAZIA)

Angola/Portugal, 2004, 90 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Maria Joao- Ganga.

Hollow City is the first film made by director Maria Jo Ganga, also the first Angolan woman to make a feature film.

The film goes back to the times of the civil war and focuses on a group of children, being accompanied by a nun, who are fleeing the war in a small village. They go to the Luanda but one of the boys eludes the vigilance of the nun and the audience follows his wandering through the city, encountering all kinds of people, hostile and friendly.

The film is emotional, shows the effect of the war on the people of Angola, especially the children, and asks for audience compassion as well as a plea for help.

The film won a special award at the Paris film festival.

1.An Angolan perspective on the civil war? The repercussions on people? Children? The city of Luanda? The historical difficulties? The European backing for this film and collaboration?

2.Luanda 1991, the vistas of the city, the streets, the beach, the fishermen, the church, the workers, the clubs, the gamblers and prostitutes, the apartments? Visual and authentic? The musical score?

3.The title: hollow or empty? Symbol of the action? The emptiness of the city with the curfew? The final crime in the empty city?

4.The humanity of the film, compassion? Pessimism?

5.The prologue, the plane taking off, the situation of Bie? The coffin on the plane, the soldiers, the nun and the children, tension, the arrival, N'dala and his escaping? Setting the tone of the film?

6.The sister, the anxiety, discussions with the Brother? The children, her anxiety, searching the city, in the minibus and the streets, going to the church, getting information, talking with the fisherman on the beach, being invited to come the next day – too late?

7.N'dala’s story, his age, the experience of the war, his parents killed, sister telling him that they were in the sky? His home-made car? His running away, hiding, on the streets? The man who wanted to buy the car – and returning later with the other machine and getting the money? His pregnant wife and her complaints? Going to the beach, sleeping in the hut, encountering the fisherman, talking with him? The fisherman and his story of the mermaid? N'dala seeing the picture of the saint in the church, the fisherman explaining about mermaids, the saints and their help? On the roof, meeting Ze, Ze’s kindness, keeping him company, introducing him to Joka? Rosita? At the apartment, doing the work, cleaning up, alone? Ze and his telling him the story of Ngunga, his fascination? Selling the cigarettes on the streets, hiding from the nun? Admiring Joka, wanting to be a mechanic? The making of the car, the welding? His searching for Ze, wanting his company, going to the schools? Back to the fisherman? The money and his paying for the cigarettes?

8.Ze, at school, the rehearsals for the play, his being Ngunga? His hopes? His godmother’s severity with him, doing the washing? Hanging the washing out, meeting N'dala, the friendship, telling him the story of Ngunga, the ride with Joka, setting him up in the apartment? Their company, searching for him, leaving the note about the play? The rehearsals, the performance and its being a success – his wanting to be an actor?

9.Joka, Ze’s cousin, his lifestyle, taking them for a ride, going to the club, with Rosita, the prostitutes? His deals, as a mechanic, his friendliness towards N'dala, making the car and welding? His friend advising N'dala to be in on the plan?

10.The portrait of the fisherman, old, kind, the story of the mermaid?

11.Rosita, the other prostitutes, their way of life, the apartment?

12.The buyer, his interest in the machine, with tourists, working at the church?

13.The plan for the crime, N'dala climbing in, getting the key, the light going on, the phone call, the military man, the confrontation, Joka urging N'dala to shoot?

14.N'dala looking at the picture on the wall, the mermaid, the saint, symbol of his hopes – and his being shot dead?

15.The anguish of war, the effect on children, the world of crime in a civil war situation?