Colette et Justin screening with filmmaker

Toronto Premiere of Colette et Justin. 

In his debut film, Alain Kassanda reconsiders the turbulent years of Congo’s decolonization through an intimate portrait of his grandparents, Colette and Justin. Kassanda begins by reflecting on his own relationship to his history: how well does he really know his grandparents and his country of birth? Through an examination of the final years of the Belgian colonial state and the formation of an independent Congolese nation, Kassanda explores a time of complex politics and moral ambiguities as a newly independent nation seeks to define itself and its future. Through Collete et Justin, Kassanda situates these tides of change at the family level, where colonialism’s deep imprints are a constant presence. Using archival fragments and personal memories, Kassanda presents a deeply embodied look at life in postcolonial Congo. The result is an evocative, poetic, and deeply curious film that considers the intersections of colonial legacies and family histories. 

Filmmaker in Attendance for Q&A.

Tickets are free. Register to attend the screening.

This screening is part of What Remains: Reclaiming Memories, Materialities, and Embodied Histories in African Cinema, a film series co-presented by the Toronto International Film Festival and the Cinema Studies Institute at the University of Toronto.

The What Remains series runs from January 9 -16, 2026, with screenings at the TIFF Lightbox and Innis Town Hall Theatre. Click for the full programme and venues.