SYNOPSIS
Lobi Ekosimba means “Tomorrow will be fine” in Lingala, a language widely spoken in the DR Congo. This film is a story of resilience and resistance as lived by the inhabitants of Goma, a city in eastern DR Congo that has been torn apart by war for several decades.
Country of Production: Democratic Republic of Congo
Year: 2025
Runtime: 15 min
Language: French, Swahili
Awards & Selections: Jury Prize – Khouribga International African Film Festival (Morocco) · Best Documentary Short Film Award – Timimoun Short Film Festival (Algeria) · Africlap Jury Prize (France)
Biography
Eli Maene is a filmmaker based in Goma, DRC. He began his journey in 2014 through fiction and documentary filmmaking workshops. In 2017, he directed his first short documentary, followed in 2021 by the feature film Biso Pe Toza, screened at festivals including Écrans Noirs and Afrika Film Festival Leuven. In 2024, his short film Lobi Ekosimba achieved international acclaim (Vues d'Afrique, Filmfest Dresden, FESPACO 2025) and won multiple awards, including the Jury Prize at Khouribga, the Africlap Grand Prix, and a Special Mention at Gibara. Since 2023, he has been developing Laisse-nous combattre (currently in production), supported by the Fonds Image de la Francophonie and Docubox, and was selected for the IDFA Academy in 2025.
Eli Maene Filmmaker