Angelina Jolie-Backed ‘Muganga’ Puts Congo’s Healing Story on the Global Stage

Muganga, The One Who Treats is more than a film. It’s a cinematic bridge — uniting storytelling, advocacy and global collaboration in a way few films this year have managed.

Co-produced by Angelina Jolie, the drama chronicles the life and work of Dr. Denis Mukwege, the Congolese gynecologist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate whose tireless commitment to treating survivors of sexual violence made him both a healer and a global symbol of resilience. By anchoring the story in human experience rather than headline politics, Muganga offers audiences a way into the heart of a larger reality: how medicine, empathy and moral courage can converge in the most challenging circumstances.

Story Rooted in Real Humanity

Inspired by Mukwege’s real life — his work at the Panzi Hospital in eastern Congo and his advocacy for survivors of gender-based violence — the film foregrounds both triumph and fragility. It avoids turning its subject into a myth. Instead, it presents a profoundly human character: a medic whose strength is matched by his vulnerability, whose victories come with cost, and whose story reminds global audiences that healing takes more than technique — it takes presence.

The narrative choice feels deliberate: this is not a hagiography. It’s a study of complexity, courage and consequence. That gives the film weight not just as a documentary or biopic, but as cinema that resonates emotionally and socially.

Performances That Carry the Narrative

At the centre of the story is an anchored performance by Isaach De Bankolé, bringing nuance to a role that could easily have become abstract. His portrayal captures quiet determination, moral complexity and the subtle shifts in a healer’s psyche when confronted with repeated tragedy. Supporting performances by Vincent Macaigne, Manon Bresch, Babetida Sadjo and Déborah Lukumuena round out a cast that makes the film feel lived-in rather than labored.