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Three libraries. Two friends. One Mission: Shiro and Wachuka set off on an obstacle course to re-establish three county libraries as modern spaces for cultural engagement.
In 2017, Shiro Koinange and Angela Wachuka embarked on a mission to revitalise three Nairobi county libraries. They include the McMillan Library, previously a whites-only space. Over the next five years, two of the libraries become digitised multi-purpose spaces. The McMillan remains stuck in time, but not irrelevant: its collection a record of a violent colonial past and a topic for cross-generational conversations. Facing numerous challenges, the project team tangoes deftly with unyielding librarians and charismatic politicians in order to deliver the third Library. Maia Lekow and Christopher King’s fascinating film immerses us the creating of a public space where everyone is welcome, ideas are encouraged, memories are shared and history is as on trend as the future.
In 2017, Shiro Koinange and Angela Wachuka embarked on a mission to revitalise three Nairobi county libraries. They include the McMillan Library, previously a whites-only space. Over the next five years, two of the libraries become digitised multi-purpose spaces. The McMillan remains stuck in time, but not irrelevant: its collection a record of a violent colonial past and a topic for cross-generational conversations. Facing numerous challenges, the project team tangoes deftly with unyielding librarians and charismatic politicians in order to deliver the third Library. Maia Lekow and Christopher King’s fascinating film immerses us the creating of a public space where everyone is welcome, ideas are encouraged, memories are shared and history is as on trend as the future.
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Strands
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Topics
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Premiere statusUK premiere
Film details
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Director(s)Christopher King, Maia Lekow
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Country(s)Kenya, USA
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Year2025
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Duration100 mins
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Executive producer(s)Roger Ross Williams / One Story Up, Geoff Martz / One Story Up, DD Wigley, Geralyn Dreyfous, Judy Kibinge / Docubox, Regina K Scully / Artemis Rising, Tegan Acton / Good Gravy Films, Emma Pompetti / Good Gravy Films, Maxyne Franklin / Doc Society, Nikki Heyman / Doc Society, Melony & Adam Lewis, Jamie Wolf / Foothills Production, Nathalie Seaver / Foothills Production, Meryl Metni / Co-Executive Producer
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Producer(s)Christopher King, Maia Lekow
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CinematographyChristopher King, Wambui Muigai, Emma Nzioka, Ronald Ronics, Nyasha Kadandara, Timothy Mwaura, Michael Onyiego, Leon Malu, Peter Gitonga, Stephen Ruiyi, Amit Ramrakha, Joe Mwihia
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EditingChristopher King, Ricardo Acosta, Maia Lekow, Michael Onyiego, Maya Hawke
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SoundKatya Mihailova, Maia Lekow, Daniel Hoffknecht, Nico Berthold
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Language(s)English, Swahili
