RETURN OF A PRESIDENT - AFTER THE COUP IN MADAGASCAR
Brutally forced out of Madagascar by a military coup d’etat, now exiled in South Africa, Madagascar’s democratically elected and popular president, Marc Ravalomanana, gathers a team of advisors to investigate how to best solve the political crisis in his country. The exiled president is determined to peacefully win back his homeland and office from the coup leader Rajoelina, a young mayor, who suddenly is in control of the country, while much of the population is left to starve in poverty.
However, it turns out to be a difficult task to solve the ongoing crisis and to get Madagascar back on track. The president turns to the international community to help mediate a diplomatic solution, but finds himself navigating a political minefield. There are many other interests at play than simply reinstalling democracy in his country – not least French interests, as the former colonial power seems to actively support the coup regime to protect their own economic and political interests.
With unique access to the president, his confidential meetings with his advisors and to the international negotiations, 'Return of a President' tells the inside story of the five-year battle to bring Ravalomanana home and reinstall democracy in Madagascar.
Release: 18th of March 2018 (Denmark)
Duration: v1 79 minutes and v2 58 minutes
Genre: Documentary feature
Spoken languages: Malagasy, French, English and Danish
Director: Lotte Mik-Meyer
Cinematography: Lotte Mik-Meyer
Editors: Signe Rebekka Kaufmann and Stefan Sundlöf
Sound Design: Bobby Salomon Hess and Gido Martis
Composer: Halfdan E.
Producers: Helle Ulsteen and Lise Lense-Møller
Production Countries: Denmark, South Africa, Madagascar and France
Production Company: Magic Hour Films, Kamoli Films and MikMeyer Film
Produced with support from: The Danish Film Institute, film commissioners Klara Grunning-Harris and Cecilia Lidin and financed in collaboration with DR, commissioning editor, Mette Hoffmann Meyer and CosmoTone