Benda Bilili were featured in the documentary film Jupiter's Dance, which follows the story of Jupiter Bokondji, a musician who is also involved in Staff Benda Bilili. The film was produced by Renaud Barret and Florent de la Tullaye (aka Belle Kinoise), who have been documenting the band's progress since 2005. They shot several videos, which have become quite popular on the Internet. Barret and de la Tullaye directed a feature-length documentary on the band, Benda Bilili! The film was selected by the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs (Directors' Fortnight) at the 2010 edition of the Cannes Film Festival, and premiered on May 13, 2010, with the group in attendance and performing at the opening of the Quinzaine. Career Entitled Très Très Fort, the band's debut album was released on Crammed Discs in March 2009. It was produced over the course of three years by Crammed's Vincent Kenis (known for introducing and producing bands such as Konono Nº1, Kasai Allstars, and for the Congotronics series). Kenis recorded the band mostly in the Kinshasa zoo. The album also contains four of Barret & de la Tullaye's videos. Staff Benda Bilili's Très Très Fort album was also be released on vinyl by Crammed Discs in 2010, only as part of the limited-edition Congotronics Vinyl Box Set which includes most albums on the Congotronics series. Media reactions to Très Très Fort were excellent, especially in the UK, the US, and France. Staff Benda Bilili have performed extensively around Europe, Japan and Australia, and were to tour the US for the first time in October 2012. Entitled Bouger Le Monde ('Make The World Move'), Staff Benda Bilili's second album was recorded in Kinshasa and mixed in Brussels, again by producer Vincent Kenis. The album comprises 11 new songs and features lead vocals by seven different band members. It was to be released worldwide by Crammed Discs in September 2012. In February 2013 The Guardian reported that singer and songwriter Coco Ngambali had quit, along with fellow vocalist Théo Nzonza, and a tour of top European venues scheduled for March and April had been cancelled amid accusations of mismanagement. The band played some dates in Europe in the autumn of 2013 and summer of 2014. Ngambali and Nzonza now play in Mbongwana Star. Discography (albums) Très Très Fort (2009, Crammed Discs) Bouger Le Monde (2012, Crammed Discs) Effacer le tableau (2019, Note A Bene) Gallery References External