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Kenya/SA sci-fi film collaboration
Wed, 07 Oct 2009
Award-winning Kenyan filmmaker Wanuri Kahiu (From A Whisper) has teamed up with South African film producers Simon Hansen, Hannah Slezacek and Amira Quinlan of Inspired Minority Pictures in a new sci-fi film titled Pumzi which takes its name from the Kiswahili word, for "breath". The film was written and directed by Kahiu, who owns film company One Pictures.
Pumzi is a 20-minute short film about futuristic Africa, in a "water war", 35 years after World War III. It was funded by the Goethe Institute, the US based Focus Features (Africa First Program) and Changamoto Fund (Kenya). Focus Features and Goethe Institute will handle distribution. The film was completed in September.
The film stars first timer and South African actress Kudzani Moswela as Asha. The 22-year-old filmmaker, Kahiu, is thrilled by the star's portrayal of the character. "She breathed into the film unimaginable softness and courage. She became the heart of my heart. Her interpretation of Asha and the story was painfully tender and through it new, undiscovered layers of the film came alive."
She explains the origins of the film's idea: "The film was inspired by a conversation I had with a friend about living in a world where we bought bottled air, only to find out that oxygen bars have been created and exist in some places in the world."
Read more in the October 2009 issue of Screen Africa
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