Of Mud and Blood

Numbi, a small village clinging to the mountains of South Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo, silently powers the modern world. Under the shadow of the Nyiragongo volcano, men, women, and children extract coltan by hand, a mineral essential to our electronic devices.

Caught between armed groups, traffickers, and the military, the inhabitants live to the rhythm of an endless war, where alliances change but misery remains. While multinational corporations source through often opaque channels, the miners are mired in an informal economy that leaves them with nothing.

An immersive journey that reveals the flip side of our digital comfort: a world where some bury their dreams in the mud so that we can stay connected to ours.

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Cinema released in France in 2025, Sweden in 2026, Germany to be coming.

The film has received the Avance sur Recettes at the French CNC.

Produced by Valdès, Pallas Films, NDR, Nonsense Prod, Arte Cinema distributed by Next Film, RushLake, Goodfellas.

Winner of Best International Documentary at Durban DIFF (Oscar Qualifying Price)

Winner of the Jury Price at Rennes-Le-Château FIFI

Winner of the Social Impact Award at London AWBFF

Cinema For Peace Dove Award Nominee in Berlin (among Cannes, Sundance, Golden Globes winners and 6 Oscars Nominee Films)

Opening night film at Toronto TBBF, Halifax HBBF and Vancouver VBFF

Selected at Biarritz FIPADOC, London FA, Montreal MBFF, Acadie FICFA, Vancouver VBFF, Halifax HBFF, Lumières d'Afrique, Lagos AFRIFF, London AWBFF, Geneve FIFDH, Prague, HRFF Amnesty International...

Pictures i took during the preparation of the film

Cinematograper CV

jgleynaud@gmail.com