Sammy Baloji's film, The Tree of Authenticity, explores the colonial legacies within the Congo basin, structured in three segments featuring different narrations. The first segment features Congolese agronomist Paul Panda Farnana's journal entries, highlighting his frustration with colonial extractive regimes. The second segment uses writings from Belgian official Abiron Beirnaert, whose perspectives contrast with Farnana's. The final voice is that of an ancient tree, encouraging a new perspective on climate change. While the film may lean towards an academic style, it illustrates the complexities of extraction and sustainability in the region.
The first segment is informed by the journal entries of Congolese agronomist Paul Panda Farnana, who documented his frustrations with the colonial regime's extractive practices during the 1910s and 1920s.
The second narration comes from Belgian official Abiron Beirnaert, whose reflections contrast sharply with Farnana's focus on colonial exploitation, expressing boredom and jadedness instead.
The third narrative gives voice to an ancient tree, suggesting a non-anthropocentric perspective on climate change and urging a reevaluation of human-centric environmental approaches.
The film, while possibly leaning too much into academic experimentation, effectively highlights how extraction manifests in various guises, even amidst discussions of sustainability.
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