Kenyan documentary to premiere at Sundance Film Festival

 

Filmed for over 5 years, the documentary film The Battle for Laikipia is set to have its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival as part of the World Documentary Competition.

This is a film that explores home and belonging through the lived experiences of Samburu pastoralists, cattle ranchers and conservationists who inhabit one of the most beautiful places in Kenya, Laikipia, which is grappling with the harrowing impact of climate change, which contributes to conflict over diminishing resources.

Directed by Daphne Matziaraki (Greece) and Peter Murimi (Kenya), The Battle for Laikipia is a collaboration between Kenyan and international filmmakers. 

Speaking about the film, the directors, Peter Murimi and Daphne Matziaraki said in a statement, “We celebrate that The battle for Laikipia, an international collaboration that includes Kenyan creatives, is at Sundance and we are excited to foster conversations about home and belonging, especially as climate change creates pressure on our lived experiences across the world.”

Over 300 hours of footage has been edited into a striking, emotionally resonant film by Kenyan editor Sam Soko who is better known for editing and directing the Sundance award-winning documentary “Softie”.  

The film is Produced by Toni Kamau of We are Not the Machine ( (Producer for Softie, Sundance 2020), and Executive produced by Roger Ross Williams and Geoff Martz of One Story Up (Netflix’s Stamped from the beginning, Netflix’s High on the Hog).

The Battle for Laikipia will be the 2nd Kenyan-directed and produced documentary to premiere in competition at the World Cinema Documentary category at the Sundance Film Festival.

BY KBC NEWS