Joely Mbundu’s first experience on a film set was full of love. Working with with Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne on Tori and Lokita in which she plays the leading role as Lokita was a true pleasure for the 18-year-old actress.  

The film follows two young immigrants from Benin who have endured a terrible journey from their home country and now try to navigate life in Belgium, which does not quite welcome them with open arms.

 

Tori and Lokita was in competition at the 2022 Cannes film festival and Joely Mbundu was just selected as one of ten European Shooting Stars presented at the 73^rd Berlinale later this month. We spoke to Joely Mbundu via Zoom from Paris.

You are only 18-years old and Lokita is your debut role. What was your reaction after learning that you were one of the European Shooting Stars?

I was very happy both because it is about representation and recognition. You have a feeling that people see you and that they recognize your value and your talent. It is very exciting because I am only 18 and the youngest of the Shooting Stars, so I am very happy.

A lot of careers took off for the actors chosen as Shooting Stars. How do you think it might affect yours?

I have changed my mind set in terms of what a successful career is. A lot of people ask me what kind of roles I wish to get in the future, and I don’t know what the future holds. I am excited about the future, but I try to live in the moment. When you work in the film industry, you have ups and downs, and I try to focus on the moment. I have no idea what it will do for my career, but I hope positive things will happen.

What was it like working with the Dardenne brothers?

They were so amazing. They created a safe place and environment for me to perform. There was a lot of trust between us. It is hard for me to describe but it was like pure love. There was such a vibe on set that we were like family and I did not want the movie to end. I just wanted to continue working with them because I also learned so much from being by their side.

What made it so special?

When we were doing the publicity, it was always the three of us. It made me feel invincible. I had my two bodyguards with me. We did not have a relationship of filmmakers and actress any longer, it was like we were family. We created a story together and there was so much trust there. I will never forget them. I will never forget working on the film with them.

They are very well-known directors. Was it intimidating working with them?

These guys are so cool and so much fun. When I am with them, I don’t feel like I am 18 and they are double my age. It is like we are best friends and that is what is so amazing about this. I can relate to them, while also learning from them and their experience. They taught me so much and always supported me.

This is your first job. How did you end up getting cast in the film?

I had helped out a friend called Femi Kedjo, while I was in school in Brussels. She was in film school and had to make a short film and asked me to perform in it. We did the short film and I realized I wanted to be an actress. So after having done the short film at 13-years old, I started sending emails to all the big agencies like WME and CAA, and I even called them, so they might still have my number today. I wanted to break through internationally, so I went for it and just focused on becoming an actress. After three years of sending emails and no one responded, I finally got a call from Femi, who knew of a casting call. I went with her without any expectations. Then I got a call back and everything went so fast and then all of sudden I had the role.

So, you were fully set on becoming an actress?

I made a plan in 2018, which I changed again in 2021, for how I would achieve my goal of becoming an actress. It is still on my phone and reminds me of never giving up on my dreams. 

Lokita travels from Benin in Africa with her friend Tori and they find themselves living under tough conditions in Belgium. What kind of research did you do to connect with your character?

I am an African girl myself. I was born in France, but my family is Congolese. I am Congolese and those stories are not very unknown to us. It happens to many Africans, not only from Congo, and so those are stories that my mother knows very well. We moved from Congo to France because of my mother, as she wanted to improve our living conditions. Congo is a beautiful country but it has not always been easy living there partly because of the dictatorship. She wanted us to live a healthier life. She knew we had better chances to survive here. 

So, I came here with my mother, but some children come here without having someone like their mother to help them with their new life here.  In Lokita and Tori’s case, they are minors, so they don’t have anyone and that is what the film is about. But it is not an unknown situation for me and when I read the whole script, I knew the story and I knew their struggle and what they were up against – and I knew and understood why they had to lie to get to their goal.  They had to fight and avoid being sent back.

The film was in competition in Cannes. How was your experience there?

I was like: ‘No way!’ Because when I did my career planning, I had written that I wanted to achieve getting to Cannes in ten years. And here I was three years later. I was so happy and amazed.  It was like a family affair; we did everything together. I was also there with my twin brother and we were walking on La Croisette trying to process the whole thing. I was so happy because he was so proud of me. And the film was very well received and I experienced the longest standing ovation ever. I had to stand and I had heals on.

Your mother was with you in the theatre. How did she react?

She was so proud. She was so full of energy and she screamed out loud at the scene where I am kind of dying. In the theatre, there was one woman screaming and that was my mother.

What is your next project?

I have met a lot of casting directors and I am doing castings. I am doing a film with Agnieszka Holland in Poland, so I am looking forward to that.