Dans les banlieues de Paris, une jeune génération a peur pour son avenir. Son taux de chômage est deux fois plus élevé que dans le centre de Paris. En octobre et november 2005, des jeunes assistent et participent à des émeutes de protestation contre la discrimination raciale et sociale.
A leur arrivée à Monrovia, Klaus Pas et son équipe rencontre des jeunes hommes et femmes qui étaient enfants soldats.
Sam est un ancien de l’ATU (Anti Terrorist Unit – Unité Anti Terroriste) qui essaie de se réintégrer à la société et de créer une famille. Il essaie de trouver un travail, pour nourrir son fils et sa petite amie, mais les temps sont durs au Liberia. Chaque nuit dans son lit, il chante.
Abe rit très rarement. Son passage des troupes gouvernementales de Taylor à la vie civile a été très difficile. L’école n’est pas faite pour lui, la formation professionnelle non plus. Son domicile est la City of Light, a church in greater Monrovia. Dorris cuisine pour le célèbre seigneur de la guerre, Fifthy. Durant la journée, elle demeure sur le porche regardant l’activité intense de Broad Street et attend Priscilla, sa fille de 4 ans de retour de l’école. La nuit, elle passe son temps au bar du Florida Motel, en essayant de gagner sa vie et, si Dieu le veut, trouver le bon père pour Priscilla.


Back to Christopolis – entretiens sur l’espoir – 2008
Une production Pasmania L1
Réalisé par Klaus Pas
Tournage en HDV et Master en HD.
Durée : 1h30 min /52 min.
Image ratio: 1:1.85
Son: Stereo 2.0

Synopsis: In the outskirts of Paris, a young generation fears for its future. Its unemployment rate is twice as high as in the city centre. In October and November 2005, young people witnessed and acted in riots of protest against racial and social discrimination.
Upon their arrival in Monrovia, Klaus Pas and his crew meet young men and women who had been associated with fighting forces when they were kids.
Sam is a former ATU (Anti Terrorist Unit) who went through the reintegration process and managed to create a family. He tries to find a job, to feed his son and girlfriend but times are hard in Liberia. Yet every night in his bedroom, he sings.
Laughs are more seldom on Abe’s face. His conversion from Taylor government troops to civilian life was more difficult. School is not for him, skills training programs neither. His only home is the City of Light, a church in greater Monrovia Dorris used to cook for notorious warlord Fifthy. During the day, she waits on her porch overlooking busy Broad Street and waiting for Priscilla, her 4 year old daughter to come back from school. At night, she hangs out at the Florida Motel bar, trying to make a living and if God wants, to find Priscilla the right father.


Back to Christopolis – entretiens sur l’espoir – 2008
A Pasmania L1 production
Directed by Klaus Pas
Shot on HDV and mastered on HD.
Length: 90 min./52 min.
Image ratio: 1:1.85
Sound: Stereo 2.0



MEET THE CREW

Klaus Pas was the initiator of the idea of « Back to Christopolis ». The film is his first documentary and the journey was his first one in Liberia. He directed the documentary always trying to capture the energy and solitude of the people. His filmography is on IMDb.

Mélanie Briand comes from the world of theatre and pop-rock music. She is the singer of French band « A Loulia », but collaborated in the writing and production of the film. Once in Liberia, she was the sound engineer. To discover her other talents, visit aloulia.net.

Blaise Harrison is a great visual communicator. He brought the light and frame of the film to capture the intimacy of its protagonists. Blaise is a cinematographer, but many of his works as a director are online.