Benda Bilili means See Beyond in English and is the name of a Congolese band of homeless disabled and able bodied musicians. This uplifting and moving film documents their daily struggle to survive on the streets of the Congo capital, Kinshasa, through to achieving global recognition as artists, with some riveting twists and turns along the way. Peppered throughout is the bands unique brand of joyously infectious music. A feel-good film with a difference.

Wielding inspiration and uplift in equal measure, this musical odyssey is one of the cinematic journeys of the year. Don’t miss it. Empire.

This wonderfully intimate document of their rise to fame is both a tribute to the strength of the human spirit and a celebration of their life-affirming sound. Mark Kermode, The Observer.

Benda Bilili earns its exclamation point. Its a feel-good movie that actually makes you feel good, a story that will have you shaking your head in astonishment and moving your feet to some unstoppable rhythms. Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times.

Real-life hard-knock plot twists, as well as some tweaking of form (there’s no narrator or voiceover of any kind the films subjects outline their grim realities largely through their rhythmically upbeat songs) make the film absolutely riveting, as does the fiercely rousing music. Ernest Hardy, Village Voice.