What is « juju » ?
A « juju » is a talisman (magic, voodoo, fetish, amulet) that protects from harm and evil doing. It is an object of superstition and to have a juju signifies that one ha got supernatural power and is protected against evil. One can’t be cursed or attacked when protected by « juju ». In April 2002, while visiting the « Elmina Castle », in Cape Coast, Ghana, I started to think about the african spiritual concept of « juju », and wondered about the part Africans played in the slave trade. In short, I imagined a combat between evil and juju. And I transposed it in Brussels. In this conflict, I put face to face a writer and an editor. Both are Africans. The conflict arises around their divergent vision of the same world and creative passion versus daily reality. « Juju Factory » is a metaphor on creation, against the background of the grey days of exile.

Exil and fantasy ?
I wanted to work on a subject that I know from inside. As I lived in Belgium for many years, I attempted an exploration of african dreams and frustrations, as seen from Brussels.

Matonge ?
« Matonge » is a small district in Brussels. I think that it is only neighbourhood with an african name in the whole of Europe. Originally, it is the name of a district of Kinshasa, Congo.

The conflict ?
Why does Patrice Lumumba’s ghost wander in the Matonge district ? And why does Joseph Désiré (the editor) go and ask for advice from the equestrian statue of the famous king Léopold II to settle his disagreement with Kongo ?

Patrice Lumumba and the others?
Patrice Lumumba is the Hero of the independence of Congo (June 30, 1960). He has assumed the stature of a great and unique leader in the tormented history of Congo. The first congolese Prime minister was assassinated on January 17th, 1961. In 2000, I discovered Thomas Giefer’s « Lumumba. Assassination in the colonial style ». In this documentary, the torturer smiles as he narrates the details of Patrice Lumumba’s murder. While writing the script of this film, I thought of some of my missing friends. They were poets, writers and filmmakers : Tshiakatumba Matala Mukadi left an important book of poems, « Wake up in a burning nest » published in Paris by Seghers in 1969. William Sassine, died in Conakry in 1996. He is one of the african leading writers. The Guinean David Achkar was a brilliant filmmaker. There is also Joseph Conrad, the author of the famous novel « Heart of darkness », who denounced the colonizing madness in Congo under Leopold II.

Comedy or tragedy ?
Joseph Désiré does not know who is Franz Fanon. Is it a laughing matter ? Nothing would be better for him than the « Wretched of the Earth » or « Black skin, White masks » as a gri-gri to cure his nightmares. The story has many faces : laughter and questioning, love such as the love between Kongo and Beatrice.

Which production ?
This film is shot in DVcam, a very convenient mode of production for an independent film. The film crew included ten people. Olivier Pulinckx, the cinematographer, and I were the only professional technicians on the set. The rest of the team was composed of young people who had their first experience of filming on this occasion.

Translated by Françoise Balogun