Identity, tradition brought out in ‘Beneath the Tides’

Five short fiction films recently premiered under the banner of ‘Beneath the Tides’.

The five short films, done by Kenyan filmmakers and one from Uganda, are produced by LBx Africa and explore critical themes present in families and institutions across post-colonial and post-modern African society.

The themes covered include infidelity, spirituality and family separation, which puts a strain on relationships between children and their parents.

Millan Tarus, a director and scriptwriter for Stero, says the theme they wanted to bring out with their is the experience of one remaining and holding on to their true self even when the world around them wants to erase them.

Since the 1990s, most schools have had this rule, which, in hindsight, didn’t make much sense as Kiswahili is the national language.

Bruce Koech is faced with the difficulty of keeping up with the school rule that is against speaking Kiswahili within the premises.

This goes against his rebellious spirit. At one point, he refuses to wear the disk for breaching the policy.

After a confrontation with one of the school prefects, he replied, “I’m not wearing that thing.”

“We thought childhood was the perfect setting for this theme of trying to defend your wild spirit, language and essence of yourself," Tarus said during an interview with the Star.

He adds that our system limits children to pursuing ‘big’ careers that will give them an income over non-materialistic careers.

Koech’s dream was to be a Stero in the future — a badass hero.

Malik Lemuel, as Kazungu, popularly known for his character in the TV series Pepeta and Govi in Machachari, is featured in Mawimbi.

This is a short film that tells the story of a young Kazungu being brought up by a single parent and the broken relationship between him and his father.

Kazungu reunites with his father when he returns home after eight years to attend his mother’s funeral.

Both set out on a mission to the sea to catch a rare fish, but tension builds up between them as they argue about the reasons behind their acrimony.

After reflecting on a conversation Ngwatilo Mawiyoo had with her grandfather on Kamba heritage, she realised there was a disconnect between the current generation and the past and our beliefs before colonisation.

“I read widely on pieces by Rev Samuel Kavala and Prof John Mbiti touching on spirituality and the growth of Christianity in Ukambani and Africa before the colonial period," Mawiyoo said.

This inspired her script for the film 'Inheritance'.

Inheritance captures the life of Kavaa, who travelled upcountry to the funeral of her grandfather, who disowned them when her mother fell pregnant out of wedlock 22 years earlier.

Through her upbringing, she faced rejection and was ignored by her grandfather as a child.

At the village, Kavaa finds solace with the village madman, who catapults her into a liminal realm, where she can have a face-off with her grandfather and rise above his rejection to find new self-esteem.

The other two extra films set to premiere are Ziwa by Samuel Tebandeke and Juliana Kabua, and Baba by Mbithi Muasya and Bramwel Iro.

Every writer and director always has something that inspires them to make the kind of film they produce or focus on.

Tarus draws his inspiration from the world around or within him by observing what’s happening and finding something that speaks to him.