When History Speaks Through Film: Cameroon’s Colonial Memory in Berlin
A documentary opens a conversation about memory, heritage and colonial history
September 28th, 2026
What happens when history is told through the eyes of those who experienced its legacy? In Berlin, a recent documentary screening offered an opportunity to explore Cameroon’s colonial past through film, opening a conversation about memory, heritage and the ways history is passed on to new generations.
On 7 August, the Embassy of the Republic of Cameroon in Germany hosted the screening of Kamerun: des murs, des traces, une histoire (Cameroon: Walls, Traces, a History), directed by Cameroonian journalist and documentary filmmaker George Alain Ngamou. Produced in French with English subtitles, the historical documentary retraces the traces of German colonial presence and rule in Cameroon and reflects on memory, heritage and the transmission of Cameroonian history.
The screening brought together diplomats, students, foreign journalists and members of the Cameroonian community in Germany. By bringing these different audiences together, the event created a space to engage with Cameroon’s history from a perspective rooted in its own cultural and historical experience. The use of English subtitles also made the documentary accessible to a wider international audience.
The screening was followed by a discussion with the filmmaker, allowing participants to reflect further on historical sources, memory and the transmission of history. In this setting, cinema became more than a way of presenting a documentary: it provided a starting point for dialogue between Cameroonian and German audiences and created an opportunity to explore a shared, and sometimes difficult, historical past.
The event in Berlin shows how cultural diplomacy can extend beyond traditional diplomatic meetings. By using film to bring history, heritage and different communities together, the Embassy of Cameroon created a space where cultural expression could encourage dialogue and a deeper understanding of the country's past.
