Mira Nair presents Our Land, Our Freedom
The logo for First Hand Films on a black background.
[MUSIC BEGINS]
Wide shot of beautifully green mountains and the valley below. Text “Kenya” appears in the upper left corner.
MUKAMI KIMATHI (in voiceover, subtitled African language): The British said that the land is theirs.
More shots of beautiful, green landscapes—a waterfall, a flat grassy plain broken up by tall trees.
MUKAMI KIMATHI: The land belongs to the Africans.
Black background with text “from executive producer Mira Nair.”
A flat landscape of yellow grass and red dirt visible from a moving vehicle.
WANJUGU KIMATHI: I was born in a freedom fighter’s family.
Close-up on a woman in profile holding a phone up to her ear.
Close-up on an older woman in profile, wearing a white head wrap.
WANJUGU KIMATHI: My mother was a freedom fighter.
Black and white archival photograph of Kenyan freedom fighter Dedan Kimathi standing tall in front of greenery.
WANJUGU KIMATHI: My father was the leader of The Kenya Land and Freedom Army.
Archival footage of British officers in feathered caps marching away.
WANJUGU KIMATHI: The British called them...
Archival footage of a crowd of Kenyan men walking in a line.
[SOFT STRING MUSIC BEGINS]
WANJUGU KIMATHI: ...the “Mau Mau.”
Fifteen logos and laurels from various film festivals appear over a black background.
[MUSIC GETS LOUDER, THEN QUIETS]
Close-up on the woman’s face.
WANJUGU KIMATHI: The history of Kenya has been distorted.
Archival footage of a British soldier pointing a gun at Kenyan men emerging from a hut.
WANJUGU KIMATHI: The first books were written by white men...
Archival portrait of Mukami Kimathi.
WANJUGU KIMATHI: ...portraying my mum and Mau Mau as savages.
Five more festival laurels for prizes won appear on top of a black background.
Four men and the woman stand outside among trees as one of them digs. They all look on as the man digs up human remains.
MAN: The British did not admit to killing any mau Mau freedom fighters. They say they killed “terrorists.”
Close-up on woman.
WANJUGU KIMATHI: Gosh! What is this?
Close-up on a man’s hand as he wipes dirt from a human skull.
MAN: I think you hit a head!
Pull quote “Excellent...the film cries out for colonial accountability” attributed to The Africa Report against a black background.
A crowd of people, some seated and some standing.
WANJUGU KIMATHI: Mum said go and unite people.
The woman speaking in front of another crowd of people standing.
WANJUGU KIMATHI: We’ve never gotten our land since independence.
A room where a poster featuring Wanjugu Kimathi is visible in the corner. An unseen man speaks.
MAN 2: I beg you, don’t get involved in politics.
Text “Twende Films,” “AfroFilms International,” and “Mui Ra Quita Filmes” appear over black backgrounds in quick succession.
Four people sit and stand in the grass.
MAN 3: The land issue in Kenya is very sensitive.
Close-up on a man who is speaking to Wanjugu Kimathi.
Cut to Wanjugu Kimathi, sitting on a chair and speaking.
WANJUGU KIMATHI: So we should remain poor because the land issue is sensitive?
Pull quote “Unveiling Kenya's colonial wounds and challenging beneficiaries of past injustices.” attributed to Modern Times Review The Euroepan Documentary Magazine, against a black background.
Close-up on a crying woman holding a handkerchief up to her eye.
WANJUGU KIMATHI (in voiceover): The only thing that can stop me is if you shoot me dead.
Quick cuts to a large crowd of people clapping. Mukami Kimathi walks through the crowd, visible on screen and through an IPhone camera someone is holding out to photograph her with.
A crowd of people stand with a single arm raised, waving them.
Text “Our Land, Our Freedom” and “a film by Meena Nanji and Zippy Kimundu” appears over a dark image of a sunset over a low hill.
A credits page appears noting the production companies, stars, directors, and more crew.
Saturday, May 3
3 pm | Kaufmann Theater
New York Premiere
Directors in Attendance: Meena Nanji, Zippy Kimundu
2023 | 100 min | Kenya
The struggle against British imperialism in Kenya came to a head in 1952, when the Land and Freedom Army, known as the Mau Mau, staged an uprising against British settlers. Decades later, the children and family of Mau Mau leader Dedan Kinathi rely on their community to help search for his remains. In commemorating his legacy, Kinathi's family challenges Kenya’s unequal land redistribution, connecting with other Freedom Fighter descendants to confront the lasting effects of colonialism.
The screening will be followed by a talkback with director Meena Nanji and protagonist Wanjugu Kimathi, moderated by Sundance Documentary Film Fund manager and Mead Film Festival advisor Dominic Davis.
Check out the full Margaret Mead Film Festival schedule.