Outside views · Africa

6 Best Movies Set in or About Democratic Republic of the Congo

Compare how outside filmmakers have used Democratic Republic of the Congo as a sustained setting or subject.

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Runtime, mood, and entry level help narrow the list without replacing the editorial ranking.

FilmRuntimeGenreMoodBest for
VirungaNot verified
The Siege of JadotvilleNot verified
The Empire of SilenceNot verified
The Man Who Fixes Women: The Wrath of HippocratesNot verified
Katanga BusinessNot verified
Operation LeopardNot verified

6 Movies Set in or About Democratic Republic of the Congo

Foreign-led films whose sustained setting or subject remains centered on Democratic Republic of the Congo.

  1. Virunga (2014) poster

    1. Virunga

    2014

    In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a devoted band of rangers risks their lives to protect Africa's oldest national park and its rare mountain gorillas from poachers, armed rebels, and oil interests. An acclaimed, gripping documentary.

  2. The Siege of Jadotville (2016) poster

    2. The Siege of Jadotville

    2016

    In 1961, a small company of Irish UN peacekeepers commanded by a level-headed officer is besieged by a far larger force of mercenaries in the Congo, holding out against overwhelming odds. Based on a true story.

  3. The Empire of Silence (2022) poster

    3. The Empire of Silence

    L'Empire du silence · 2022

    This documentary confronts a quarter-century of war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo — a conflict that has claimed countless lives with near impunity — gathering evidence and voices against the silence surrounding the atrocities.

  4. The Man Who Fixes Women: The Wrath of Hippocrates (2015) poster

    4. The Man Who Fixes Women: The Wrath of Hippocrates

    The Man Who Mends Women: The Wrath of Hippocrates · 2015

    This documentary profiles Dr. Denis Mukwege, the Congolese surgeon who has treated thousands of women brutalized by the sexual violence of the country's long wars, and who fights on despite grave danger. A powerful portrait of courage.

  5. Katanga Business (2009) poster

    5. Katanga Business

    2009

    This documentary plunges into the mineral-rich province of Katanga, where multinational corporations, local politicians, and impoverished miners collide over the region's vast wealth. A gripping political-economic exposé.

  6. Operation Leopard (1980) poster

    6. Operation Leopard

    La légion saute sur Kolwezi · 1980

    In 1978, when communist guerrillas overrun the mining town of Kolwezi in Zaire and take European residents hostage, French Foreign Legion paratroopers mount a daring airborne rescue. A war action drama based on real events.

Hear the country first

10 Best Movies from Democratic Republic of the Congo to Watch First

Start with films made from within Democratic Republic of the Congo, then follow the country's own creative voice through the complete ranking.

  1. Viva Riva! 2010
  2. Downstream to Kinshasa 2020
  3. La Vie est Belle 1987
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Selected by the FilmsAroundThe.World editorial desk

Selections require an outside creative lead and a story or subject substantially centered on Democratic Republic of the Congo. Decision labels are concise editorial aids, and content notes are non-exhaustive. Read the methodology.

Editorial review: 2026-07-14

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