Viva Riva is a movie that was released in June 2011. It didn't really do that great in the box office but in terms of awards - it garnered quite a bit.  This movie is an independent foreign movie.  The languages used are Lingala and French. It was rated R for strong sexuality, occasional drug use, graphic nudity, brutal violence and bad language. 

Characters:

*	Patsha Bay	...	Riva (as Patsha Bay Mukuna)
*	Manie Malone	...	Nora
*	Hoji Fortuna	...	César
*	Marlene Longange	...	La commandante
*	Diplome Amekindra	...	Azor
*	Alex Herabo	...	J.M.
*	Angelique Mbumb	...	Malou
*	Nzita Tumba	...	Mother Edo
*	Romain Ndomba	...	G.O.
*	Tomas Bie	...	Jorge
*	Davly Ilunga	...	Joaquin

Plot:

Riva is an operator, a man with charm and ambition in equal measure. Kinshasa is an inviting place. With petrol in short supply in DRC's capital, he and his sidekick pursue a plot to get hold of a secret cache - barrels of fuel they can sell for a huge profit. Of course they're not the only ones who want the stuff. Cesar is a ruthless, sharply dressed foreigner thriving in Kinshasa's lawless streets. A female military officer joins the fray. Even the church will betray its tenets for a piece of the action. But Riva's main nemesis is Azor, a crime boss in the classic style: big, decadent and brutal. He's not a man to mess with, but his girlfriend, Nora, may just be the most seductive woman in all of DRC. Riva catches sight of her dancing at a nightclub and it's not long before Nora matches the fuel cache as a coveted object of his lust. (Imdb)

Not for the faint at heart, this movie reveals the ‘slight animosity’ between Angola and DRC while showing the effect of poverty and scarcity on different elements of society.  This movie definitely has sexual and violent themes and is not for the faint at heart. Within the movie is also a love story - so if you are someone who doesn’t mind violence, sex, romance and maybe, seeing a different part of the African world - then this is a movie for you.

Thoughts:

My introduction to the movie Viva Riva was when I attended a film screening. It was a mixed audience and everyone was going on and on about this movie.  I, brushed it aside at that time because I had  not really heard anything positive about the movie industry in DRC.  But, I was in for a shocker.  Fast paced, dramatic, not wasting of a screenshot, people who can act, A+ work.  It is no surprise that this movie garnered multiple awards.  The director and the scriptwriter definitely knew what they were doing.

Of all the movies that have been reviewed this year from Africa - this is a must watch.  Don’t dull!

You can watch it on Netflix, Amazon etc

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