Air Conditioner

One day, air conditioners in the Angolan capital Luanda start to mysteriously fall from the buildings. When security guard Matacedo is told to get his overheating boss an airco unit before the end of the day, he starts a mission that among other things brings him into contact with the eccentric owner of an electronics store. His search is the starting point for a pleasantly free film about the heartbeat of this city: the buildings in Luanda which visibly bear its history, and the people trying to rebuild their lives after the civil war. Music and sound guide us through the city: we hear a jazzy soundtrack, a socially critical rap, the chaotic hum of the city and surreal, distorted sounds. The film's opening immediately sets the tone with urban portraits by Angolan photographer Cafuxi. Air Conditioner was written, produced and shot entirely in Angola by collective Geração 80, and proves that artistic cinema in Angola is alive and kicking. (International Film Festival Rotterdam)