We invite you to participate in the serie of screenings of Kenyan films during the research stay of Kenyatta University team at Academy of Art on 6th, 13th and 20th of November 2020 at 8:00 pm (CET).
The first screening 6th of November 2020 (Friday) at 8:00 pm (CET) will be of “SIMBA” from 1955, directed by Brian Desmond Hurst.
The screening will be introduced and followed with discussion by Prof. John Mugubi (Kenyatta University)
Background Information
The East African Country of Kenya was settled by Europeans at the start of the twentieth Century. The settlers concentrated in the fertile central highlands, mainly farming coffee and tea. They displaced large numbers of the Kikuyu tribe who had worked the land as migratory farmers for centuries. When Kenya became a crown colony of the British government in 1920, the settlers were able to introduce a number of restrictions on land ownership and agricultural practice in order to protect their own interests and push the Kikuyu out. During the early 1950s, resentment grew amongst the Kikuyu people against European settlement and their lack of political representation. This was first shown in attacks carried out in the latter half of 1952 by the banned secret society, Mau Mau, against Kikuyu loyal to the government. Strongly paramilitary in outlook, Mau Mau used secret ceremonies to enforce allegiance amongst its members and began a campaign targeting European settlers in their isolated farms. Armed groups of Mau Mau formed forest gangs in the Aberdare and Mount Kenya areas from where they would emerge to carry out attacks against civil authorities and settlers. These attacks increased and a state of emergency was declared in October 1952. Leading members of the Mau Mau organization including Kenya’s future president Jomo Kenyatta were detained by the authorities.
Plot Summary
The screenplay concerns a British family living in Kenya, who become embroiled in the Mau Mau Uprising. Alan Howard returns to his family’s farm in Kenya in order to become a farmer. He finds out that his brother David has been murdered by the Mau Mau. The rebels have written the name “Simba” (Swahili word for Lion) in his brother’s house. What follows is a story of suspicion, betrayals, intrigues, conflict, and violence, involving white farmers and the natives. But this is also the story of love between Alan and Mary, the principal actors whose families are deeply affected by the Mau Mau rebellion.
The meeting starts on Zoom platform
Friday, 8:00 pm (CET), on Zoom platform.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/6932288349?pwd=L3ZaTStPblVGZDEwd1dqOTdxTW10QT09
Meeting ID: 693 228 8349
Passcode: 5PEqzr
Link to the film:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hfNG0o6k4s