Movies
Kati Juurus
Cinema Dadaab
2018 Finland
58min •
English, Somali. English subtitles
K7
Theme: Hope/lessness
15.11.2018 | Time 16:30
| Venue: Tapio 4
| BUY TICKET
A glimmer of hope and the power of films
Dadaab is the world’s largest refugee camp and it is situated in the Kenyan desert. The camp consists of hundreds of thousands of refugees that have fled from Somalia and other war-torn African countries. Life in the camp is frustrating, and any dreams about returning home or getting asylum in Western countries usually turn out hopeless. Escape methods from the bleak everyday life are few and far between. Chewing the leaves of the drug plant khat is a common problem in the camp and the refugees acknowledge it.
Abdika Mohamed Ibrahim’s solution to hopelessness is not drugs but stories – he runs a ”cinema” at the camp consisting of two TV screens side by side. The male audience watches intensely as the cinema offers them the rumble of action films as well as romantic classics. Due to modesty and religion, any scenes hinting at sex will be fast-forwarded through, even though they don’t personally offend the progressive cinema runner. There are also plans for women’s screenings. The films help keep dreams alive: they create hope and broaden the worldview of those refugees who have spent their whole lives in the camp.
The hope-filled documentary by Kati Juurus features a score by multi-instrumentalist Jimi Tenor, an internationally ackowledged producer of Finnish rhythm music.
