Rubén Monsuy Ndong Andeme

A fascinating journey through Ureka, a remote corner of Bioko Island, where traditional life coexists with abundant nature. This documentary explores the customs of its inhabitants, the unique biodiversity of its jungles and beaches, and how time has shaped this hidden gem of Equatorial Guinea. In the Bubi language, Ureka means "distant village," and it is the first inhabited village on Bioko Island. This is the first chapter of a series of reports on ongoing nature conservation. Through four key figures within the community, we will discover the beauty of this natural enclave: its culture, customs, and various ways of life.

Maria Ada is a famous urban legend that tells the story of a teacher who died leaving two sons behind while his ghost occasionally comes to life trying to recover them. Oscar and Jose, two friends and former classmates, tell about the tragic ghost apparitions and their constant bickering with an albino boy. A friend from the same classroom could only see the ghost, because in Equatorial Guinea they say that albinos have four eyes.

Equatorial Guinea became independent 51 years ago from Spain. This African country lives under one of the longest-lived dictatorships in the world, Teodoro Obiang, a military man trained in Zaragoza. His regime strongly represses all freedoms, including sexual ones. Franco Spanish laws are still in force in the country, such as the «public scandal». It is not possible to protest on the street and the only LGTB organization in the country has not been able to legalize itself. In addition, the country’s Parliament is studying hardening the current penal code. To denounce the situation, the group «We are part of the world» has collected the voices of the community in a documentary that pays tribute to Fidel Lemoy, one of its best-known faces, who disappeared last year.

The first filmmaker arrived in Equatorial Guinea in 1904. The last movie theatre closed in Malabo in the 1990s. In 2011, during the II African Film Festival of Equatorial Guinea, the Marfil Movie Theatre reopened its doors. Florencio, Ángel and Estrada tells us how cinema has been, and is still, present in their lives.

Salvador is a rising star in the national boxing team of Equatorial Guinea. He embodies the chance for the African team to finally take part in the Olympics but has to struggle with a life of poverty with his girlfriend Luna and his own lack of discipline.

MAMADI is trying to reorganize his life after a very turbulent past, the estrangement from his mother in Africa, and a troubled relationship with his father. He does not regret the way he has been, nor is he afraid to face the near future; he knows he still has a mission to fulfill.