Planting Trees in Africa - Taking Root and Pumzi

When: Friday, February 19, 2010, 7pm

Credits

Pumzi
Director: Wanuri Kahiu (English, 20m, 2010)
Official website

Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai
Directors: Lisa Merton and Alan Dater (English, 81m, 2008)
Official website

Two visionaries, one real and one from science fiction, risk it all to perform the revolutionary act of planting trees.

In Pumzi, Kenyan filmmaker Wanuri Kahiu creates a vision of a dystopian future, in which there is no more life outside the self-contained domes. She becomes convinced that there is hope and escapes into the outer world, in an effort to bring back life. This powerful science fiction short, that recalls dystopian vision such as Road Warrior and THX-1138 but has its own distinctively African style, was selected for the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.

Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai, considers the life work of the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts at educating rural women about ecology and self-empowerment. Their efforts to revitalize the local landscapes worked successfully against deforestation, poverty, ignorance, embedded economic interests, and violent political oppression.

This program is offered in collaboration with the International Cinema series.

News & Views

  • March 29, 2010

    The 2010 award recipients have been announced! Click here to see the winners.

  • February 5, 2010

    The 2010 films have been announced. Learn more.