Follow citizen journalist Elias Kimaiyo as he overcomes serious injury by the Kenya Forest Service to mobilise a network of Sengwer activists. Despite forced evictions where their homes are repeatedly burnt down, they record human rights abuses and monitor environmental damage to the Embobut Forest.
Follow citizen journalist Elias Kimaiyo as he overcomes serious injury by the Kenya Forest Service to mobilise a network of Sengwer activists. Despite forced evictions where their homes are repeatedly burnt down, they record human rights abuses and monitor environmental damage to the Embobut Forest.
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Story
Mission Statement
Elias first started filming human rights abuses after being given a camera by a filmmaker. He also sees video as a powerful tool for sharing and safeguarding Sengwer culture. This film will improve Sengwer activists' safety through exposure, and to enable them to tell their story now and forever.About The Project
Meet the Sengwer
The Sengwer are an indigenous hunter-gatherer community fighting for their right to their ancestral land in the protected Embobut Forest. A contentious issue in Kenyan politics, they’ve endured repeated human rights abuses in the name of conservation since the 80’s. Forced evictions where the Kenyan Forest Service burn down homes has torn families apart and left Sengwer culture at risk of extinction.
Now, a group of grassroots activists are emerging as a powerful voice for the community. Refusing to be ignored any longer, they are defying intimidation and putting their lives on the line to document human rights abuses and environmental damage. Neglected by the government and overlooked by international donors, the Sengwer must convince the world that they're the rightful conservators of the forest to return home.
Together, citizen reporter Elias and his comrades are bellwethers of the Sengwer community's struggle for survival.
Why should I fund this film?
Two very simple reasons:
1. The more exposure the Sengwer people get, the safer they will be. It will be harder for the Kenya Forest Service to pick up their weapons and hurt people. A Sengwer activist, Robert Kirotich, was shot and killed last year. This must stop and the eyes of the world can help.
2. The more interest the international community has in the Sengwer people, the more difficult it will be for the Kenyan government to continue ignoring them. To stand any chance of justice and reclaiming the rights to their land, they must be allowed to speak on their own behalf.
What's the plan?
We've taken the film as far as we can on our own. Now we need the help of an expert editor, a colour grader, and a sound designer. We could try to pull everything together for free, but we'd rather raise a little money to pay a serious pro, and give the film the best shot at success.
Ultimately, our aim is to get the Sengwer people as much exposure as possible. We want to take the film to some festivals and attract the attention of the international community. With your help, we can make it happen.
Incentives
$10
Supporter
Your name will appear in the film's credits.
$15
Early bird fan - Lisbon
Invitation to a private rooftop screening & conversation with the directors in Lisbon.
Claimed: 13 of 40
$25
Queue Jumper
Get early access to stream the film online before its public release.
+ Your name in the credits
$25
Fan - Lisbon
Invitation to a private rooftop screening & conversation with the directors in Lisbon.
+ Early access to watch the film online
+ Your name in the credits
Claimed: 5 of 40
$50
Film crew
Recieve a personal thank you video from Sam & Phil the directors a.k.a. us.
+ Early access to watch the film online
+ Your name in the credits
$100
Tribe member
Recieve a concept art print by Bissy Riva, signed by Sam & Phil the directors a.k.a. us.
+ Early access to watch the film online
+ Your name in the credits
Claimed: 5 of 20
$250
Tribe councillor
Recieve a concept art print by Bissy Ria, signed by Sengwer activists with a personal note of thanks.
+ Early access to watch the film online
+ Your name in the credits
Claimed: 1 of 10
$500
Tribal elder
Be a major contributor to the film and receive an original film concept artwork, signed by artist Bissy Riva - along with a personal video message of thanks from the Sengwer community.
+ Early access to watch the film online
+ Your name in the credits
Claimed: 0 of 5
$1,000
Executive Producer
Make a cornerstone donation to the project and be officially credited as an Executive Producer at the start of the film.
You'll also recieve an original 'Sengwer figure' concept painting, signed by artist Bissy Riva .
If the film reaches festivals, you'll be invited to an exclusive dinner with Elias Kimaiyo - Human Rights Defender of the Year 2017 the film's central character.
+ Personal video thank-yous from us and the community
+ Inivitation to Lisbon screening
+ Early access to watch the film online
Claimed: 1 of 2
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Wishlist
Use the WishList to pledge cash and loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an incentive directly.
$10
Supporter
Your name will appear in the film's credits.
$15
Early bird fan - Lisbon
Invitation to a private rooftop screening & conversation with the directors in Lisbon.
Claimed: 13 of 40
$25
Queue Jumper
Get early access to stream the film online before its public release.
+ Your name in the credits
$25
Fan - Lisbon
Invitation to a private rooftop screening & conversation with the directors in Lisbon.
+ Early access to watch the film online
+ Your name in the credits
Claimed: 5 of 40
$50
Film crew
Recieve a personal thank you video from Sam & Phil the directors a.k.a. us.
+ Early access to watch the film online
+ Your name in the credits
$100
Tribe member
Recieve a concept art print by Bissy Riva, signed by Sam & Phil the directors a.k.a. us.
+ Early access to watch the film online
+ Your name in the credits
Claimed: 5 of 20
$250
Tribe councillor
Recieve a concept art print by Bissy Ria, signed by Sengwer activists with a personal note of thanks.
+ Early access to watch the film online
+ Your name in the credits
Claimed: 1 of 10
$500
Tribal elder
Be a major contributor to the film and receive an original film concept artwork, signed by artist Bissy Riva - along with a personal video message of thanks from the Sengwer community.
+ Early access to watch the film online
+ Your name in the credits
Claimed: 0 of 5
$1,000
Executive Producer
Make a cornerstone donation to the project and be officially credited as an Executive Producer at the start of the film.
You'll also recieve an original 'Sengwer figure' concept painting, signed by artist Bissy Riva .
If the film reaches festivals, you'll be invited to an exclusive dinner with Elias Kimaiyo - Human Rights Defender of the Year 2017 the film's central character.
+ Personal video thank-yous from us and the community
+ Inivitation to Lisbon screening
+ Early access to watch the film online
Claimed: 1 of 2
- Updates
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Current Team
About This Team
Who's behind this film?
We are Sam Applebee & Phil Ilic, independent filmmakers living in Lisbon. We both have other jobs and found out about the Sengwer's struggle completely by accident. A chance conversation with Amnesty International piqued our interest, so we decided to self-fund a trip to the Embobut Forest to see for ourselves.
Our trip turned out to be more of an expedition - we trekked across mountains in all conditions! The soaking rain and fog eventually cleared to reveal bright sunshine and we succeeded in dodging the Kenyan Forest Service to capture the spirit of this incredible community. It was unexpected and utterly awe-inspiring.
Now we're back in Europe and resolved to do the film justice and help the Sengwer to tell their powerful story of resistance... and we've got help!
We've had some incredible in-kind support already. Bissy Riva and Guathier Carlhian collaborated to create the incredible artwork and grpahics you can see around the campaign, with Gauthier digitising original oil works by Bissy. Editor Lee McKarkiel made the awesome teaser video.
... and finally... you! You can join the team bringing this to life by helping us to cover the costs of editing the film to a professional standard. Welcome aboard :)
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