"How was your weekend?" If you work in an office, you’ve probably heard this question more times than you can count. It’s the usual Monday morning icebreaker or a lead-in to some sweet office gossip. Unsolicited but I’ll tell you how mine went.
My weekend kicked off on Friday afternoon. I met up with a few fellow film analysts. Even though our conversation was brief, I would consider it to be "meaningful". We shared a lot of insights into the film culture in general and hopeful what was discussed might bear fruits in the future.
On Saturday evening, I hopped on one of those big city buses that cram people in like sardines. Like every Kenyan right now, I blame the economy. Anyway, I was on my way to Prestige Plaza on Ngong Road for the first time in Kenya screening of Our Land, Our Freedom, a documentary that closed the 10-day NBO Film Festival.
I’m not sure if the team behind the festival did this by designed, but starting the festival with The Battle for Laikipia, a documentary on conflict based on land ownership and colonisation and wrapping it up with a documentary exploring the same theme but it was genius.
It created a sense of continuity that made the festival feel cohesive.
Our Land, Our Freedom
Now, Our Land, Our Freedom, what a documentary! Directed by Kenyan filmmakers Meena Nanji and Zippy Kimundu, the production explores Kenya’s colonial past through the untold stories of freedom fighters and their families.
It follows Mukami and Wanjugu Kimathi, the widow and "daughter" of Dedan Kimathi, one of Kenya’s most iconic freedom fighters. For the young ones, the statue on Kimathi Street is based on him. It’s a look into personal grief, a fight for justice, and a search for Kimathi’s burial site, blending family pain with the larger struggle over land rights, with Kakuzi, a large Agricultural company caught up in the middle.
For me, though, this documentary is about forgotten people—the children of freedom fighters who grew up in a country their parents fought to free but without what their parents had, thanks to colonialists. Fast-forward to today, and while we have leaders with the power to address this, all we seem to get are unfulfilled promises. The documentary even shows one of these leaders doing what they do best.
The good
The film opens with a heavy, serious tone, but as it moves into the second and third acts, there are lighter moments sprinkled through the second and third act. This helps make the difficult movements easier to digest.
As with some of the best documentaries out there, the filmmakers did a good job grounding their subjects, we see Wanjugu Kimathi not just as this woman who is really out there fighting for the freedom fighters and land but as a woman going about her daily life with her family and mother earlier on in the production.
The “shaky cam” approach adds a raw, honest feel, as do the scenic establishing shots, particularly the waterfall. The editing, sound, and direction feel deliberate; while some parts are intense, the purpose becomes clear as the film unfolds.
The archival footage and personal stories remind us of the harsh reality our grandparents endured and just gives us a deeper understanding of what some of these people had to go through. While the story is anchored in central Kenya, I was glad that they made an effort to slightly expand the scope of what we know as the Mau Mau.
Something else that I appreciated was the period/time stamps as they help keep the audience on track as the story unfolds.
Overall, it’s the dynamic group of what I was calling “forgotten people” that is really heartbreaking. In fact, this is documentary should be screened in parliament repeatedly, every Kenyan needs to see it, Buckingham Palace in the UK and the rest of the European countries should see this. Many of us know the tragedies of World War II, but the horrors of colonialism in Africa often get glossed over yet they were equally outrageous.
Flaws
But this is far from a perfect film. There is a lot of expository dialogue. Yes, this is a documentary, and it heavily relies on it but I wish it was handled differently. I mean, they could have fused some of the exposition naturally with some cut away or just utilised silent moments.
Also, the music in some of the emotionally weighty scenes was working unnecessarily hard to drive the emotions home. I think silence in some scenes could have garnered a stronger emotional response.
A few more drone shots like the opening shots of the forest and waterfall would’ve helped capture the landscape and scope of some of the location. And while the “shaky cam” had its moments, some scenes, especially in public transport are chaotic, I thought it was because of a shutter speed choice that makes the picture feel overly jarring, like something out of an action movie.
The directors did explain that the making of this documentary was undercover which might explain some of the shots but there are one or two shots that could have been better.
There are also small pockets of moments that felt like ads for the Dedan Kimathi Foundation.
For you the everyday Kenyan
For the audience, Our Land, Our Freedom is worth seeing. This is a perfect companion piece for those archival clips that play throughout the day during Mashujaa Day. It’s a look at the losses of colonialism, especially around land.
I appreciated the fact Mukami Kimathi has been documented in line with her legacy and that of her husband. From the word go, the documentary is intense and moves from heartbreaking to heartwarming to tense. Yes, there are a few technical missteps, but the emotional weight and focus on the human stories make up for it.
NBO Film Festival
As for the NBO Festival, we need more of *film culture”. Apart from Zanzibar’s film festival, East Africa lacks another notable film celebration. Kenya, being the region’s economic powerhouse, should be the one to set the bar, turning our film festivals into cultural event. Imagine a festival that truly captures Kenya's and global attention.
Think of Cannes or Toronto film festivals. Yes, maybe it’s too ambitious, but I think it’s a worthwhile goal that can be achieved if everyone just chipped in.
So, back to my original question—how was your weekend?
