Raúl de la Fuente, Poland/Spain/Belgium/Germany

Angola, 1975. Polish war reporter Ryszard Kapuściński (Kerry Shale) is determined to get to the front line in the South where he wants to meet with the rebel leader Farrusco (Youssef Kerkour). He proceeds with fellow journalist Artur (Daniel Flynn) until they are ambushed and saved from near certain death by the guerilla Carlotta (Lillie Flynn). At this point Artur heads back to safety and Ryszard pushes forward, refusing to stop his quest even when facing deadly peril.

Based on the gripping non-fiction book of the same name by Kapuściński, directors Damian Nenow and Raúl de la Fuente put together a fascinating animated retelling interspersed with documentary interviews of surviving witnesses of his journey. The animation is rich and beautiful and brings an artistic depth which is rare in more traditional documentaries. The pacing matches the frenetic aspects of the war, and at times it begins to feel like a traditional action film rather than a recording of real-life events. Luckily, whenever it begins to feel too fantastical, the interviews and archival material brings reality back into focus. The modern landscape of Angola and the traumatic experiences told from those who lived it add a necessary layer to the story. The utter bravery of Kapuściński in his search for the truth and the difficult decisions he has to make throughout while dealing with journalistic ethics are fascinating. Nenow and de la Fuente have put together a riveting and tragic hybrid film which is compelling on both an artistic and historical level. (RF)