DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT

Whenever there are cameras in Africa, they are there to point out misery and poverty. I grew up in a little village [in the same region of the film] and assumed that everything beautiful and inspiring would come from the outside; from the Western world. Conflicts, UNICEF – these were the images from Africa I grew up with. You don’t want to live in a place like that, so I studied, I was the best at everything. My family wasn’t rich, so this was my chance to get out. I want foreign filmmakers to think about that. You might be coming to Africa with the best intentions, but by repeating [these images] you are destroying people’s imagination and dreams.

It’s like having all these beautiful apples, knowing that one is rotten. That’s how it feels over there. Everything seems perfect – for one day. But then you hear gunshots, explosions. These people stay, because it’s also their way of resistance. Of saying: ‘This place belongs to me and you won’t drive me away.’

Making this film was very, very hard. I dedicated three years of my life to that and spent all my development funds. But it just wasn’t right! I was really depressed at that moment. Still, I knew I had to stick to that decision.
Children don’t have a filter. They will tell you how they see things and everything comes straight from the heart. When I talked to adults, it was different. There were many complaints and explanations.