Simerg is an independent initiative dedicated to Ismaili Muslims, the Aga Khan — their Hereditary Imam — and the Ismaili Imamat, and Islam in general through literary readings, photo essays and artistic expressions
Award-winning filmmaker Kiana Rawji has returned to her hometown to screen her two highly acclaimed films at Calgary’s Cardel Theatre at 180 Quarry Park Blvd on December 7 from 3:00 to 5:00 PM. A few tickets are left, and they can be secured at https://rawjifilms.eventbrite.com.
The movies “Inside Job” and “Mama of Manyatta,” both shot in Kenya, mark an essential milestone in Kiana’s career as a passionate filmmaker. This is a unique opportunity to witness Kiana’s exceptional career in filmmaking (read our earlier post HERE). The screening will be followed by an engaging Q&A session with the filmmaker herself, making this event a significant highlight in Calgary’s 2024 calendar.
Kiana Rawji engages with the audience in the Nanji Family Foundation Auditorium at the Aga Khan Museum, Toronto, in October 2023.
MAMA OF MANYATTA is a touching portrait of a woman fighting HIV and gender-based violence in a Kenyan slum. The film has been widely acclaimed, screening at the 2023 Pan African Film Festival, Essence Film Festival & Zanzibar International Film Festival, and receiving a Special Jury Mention.
INSIDE JOB is a fictional reconstruction of the lives of South Asians in Kenya in the 1970s. The film received the Harvard Film Department’s Arnheim Prize for most outstanding interdisciplinary project & premiered at the 2023 Chicago South Asian Film Festival.
The two films made their Canadian debut in October 2023 in the Nanji Family Foundation Auditorium at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto to a packed and appreciative audience.
Event Summary and Tickets
What: Kiana Rawji Film Screening — Inside Job and Mama of Manyatta
I am thrilled to inform Calgarians and readers across Alberta about an event we have all eagerly anticipated. Calgary’s own, the young award-winning filmmaker Kiana Rawji, has organized a showing of her highly acclaimed films, Mama of Manyatta and Inside Job, which made their Canadian debut to a packed audience at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto on October 15, 2023.
Kiana Rawji
The excitement is palpable as these films, created by our very own Kiana, are set to grace our city on Saturday, December 7 at Calgary’s Cardel Theatre at 180 Quarry Park Blvd. The films mark an essential milestone in Kiana’s career as a passionate filmmaker and an exciting and unique moment in the city’s 2024 calendar.
Cardel Theatre is small and will fill up quickly, so get your tickets now at EVENTBRITE. Following the screening, Kiana will conduct an in-person Q&A.
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The Films
Kiana describes the making of the films in her insightful interview below.
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Profile: Kiana Rawji
Kiana Rawji (www.kianarawji.com) is an award-winning Calgarian filmmaker who graduated from Harvard College with a concentration in Film and History & Literature. As an Ismaili Muslim woman and daughter of East African Asian immigrants, she is drawn to stories around diasporas, pluralism, and social justice. Her TEDx talks on Islam and the Cosmopolitan Ethic have reached 150,000+ people worldwide.
Kiana’s 2021 documentary, LONG DISTANCE, about migrant workers at an Albertan meat plant, won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Alberta Short Film at the 2021 Calgary International Film Festival.
Her 2023 documentary, MAMA OF MANYATTA, has been widely acclaimed, screening at the 2023 Pan African Film Festival, Essence Film Festival & Zanzibar International Film Festival, and receiving a Special Jury Mention. This film follows an extraordinary woman fighting HIV & gender-based violence in a Kenyan slum.
Kiana’s 2023 fiction film, INSIDE JOB, has also garnered attention. It is about an Indian woman who suspects her African domestic workers of stealing jewelry in 1970s Nairobi. The film received the Harvard Film Department’s Arnheim Prize for most outstanding interdisciplinary project & premiered at the 2023 Chicago South Asian Film Festival.
In 2023, INSIDE JOB & MAMA OF MANYATTA screened at the Unseen Nairobi theater in Kenya and the Nanji Family Foundation Auditorium at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto. The sold-out Aga Khan Museum screening opened with remarks by Dr. Zainub Verjee, an accomplished writer, critic, curator, artist, and appointee of the honourable Order of Canada. “When I previewed these works,” Dr. Verjee explained in her introductory remarks, “I was really moved by its poetry. But more importantly, what struck me was its feminist ethos.”
The screening was followed by a moderated Q&A in which Kiana discussed her films’ historical, political, and social-justice underpinnings and her aim to grapple with the consequences of power and inequality in our lives.
“The screening of Inside Job and Mama of Manyatta [at the Aga Khan Museum] on October 15, 2023, was an inspiring event which gave those in attendance an early peek into the work of a gifted filmmaker with tremendous promise who will undoubtedly continue to make a real and meaningful difference through her films” — excerpt from review by Ali N. Alibhai
In Calgary, on December 7th, in addition to sharing her impactful work — and creating awareness around the social issues with which she artistically and intellectually engages — Kiana will share insights into the rigorous research and cosmopolitan ethos that drive her work.
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Tickets
INSIDE JOB and MAMA OF MANYATTA will be screened at Calgary’s Cardel Theatre from 3-5pm on Saturday, December 7th, 2024.
The theatre is small and will fill up quickly, so get your tickets now at this Eventbrite link.
The screening will be followed by an in-person Q&A with Kiana.
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Sponsor and Support Kiana Rawji
Kiana Rawji welcomes sponsors who wish to support the event in Calgary and her continued work in film. Please contact her or submit your sponsorship via an e-transfer to kianarawjifilms@gmail.com. This budding young artist will appreciate any contribution.
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Interview
“I strive to tell stories that recognize diversity, complexity, and nuance, while connecting people through universal, human experiences. I’m especially interested in topics surrounding migration, diasporas, and identity” — Kiana Rawji
Kiana Rawji engages with the audience at the Aga Khan Museum, Toronto, in October 2023.
To acquaint our Calgary and Alberta readers with Kiana’s work and what inspires her, we present an abridged version of our interview before her films premiered in Toronto (click HERE for the full interview.)
Simerg: Can you tell us about how you got into filmmaking?
Kiana Rawji: Throughout high school, I had been interested in the intersection between storytelling and social justice, and I had pursued that through writing and public speaking. Filmmaking was always a hobby of mine growing up, but I never even considered it as an academic or career path. When I got to Harvard, I took a class called Social Justice and the Documentary Film in my first year and I was drawn to film as a provocative medium to raise awareness, evoke empathy, and elevate marginalized voices. After I made my first short film in that class, I never looked back.
At Harvard, I pursued a joint concentration because through History & Literature, I could learn about the very histories, in all their nuance and complexity, that would inform the stories I want to tell through film. Inside Job was a perfect example of that.
Simerg: Where did the idea for Inside Job come from?
Kiana: The film was largely based on my own family history — my parents and grandparents grew up in Nairobi, but before that my family traces back to Gujarat, India. I knew I wanted to make a film set in the 1970s Kenya, during a period of exacerbated racial tensions, due to the rise of ethnocentric nationalism in the region. I was particularly interested in the ways “Africans” and “Indians”/“Asians” perceived and interacted with each other. Since society was so racially segregated though, I realized the most common realm of interracial interaction and intimacy was in the household; virtually all brown households employed black domestic “servants”. What was all the more interesting was that, despite the deeply entrenched taboo that restricted social contact between brown women and black men in particular, these two types of people consistently interacted on a daily basis through the domestic labor relationship. I started to wonder how larger cultural norms and boundaries as well as political tensions were both reinforced and transcended in such close quarters.
Interview continues below
Kiana Rawji’s fs Mama of Manyatta and Inside Job will be screened at the Cardel Theatre in Calgary on Saturday, December 7, 2024. For tickets, click EVENTBRITE.
So I decided to explore that dynamic through oral history research. I interviewed many East African Asian women who lived through the 70s, as well as black African domestic workers. These interviews informed my whole script, from the subtleties of the dialogue to the core elements of the plot. I decided to focus on the theme of theft because of how much it came up in my interviews, and how symbolic it was; it was clear that both sides felt the other had stolen something from them. South Asians in East Africa felt that their own homes, along with properties, businesses, etc., were stolen from them when they were largely expelled from the region in the 70s. At the same time, native East Africans felt that “Asians” had stolen all the wealth and land in the first place. Both were stuck in a colonial system of inequality and a highly racialized socioeconomic hierarchy that lasted well beyond the colonial period.
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“It doesn’t take much to start. You don’t need fancy equipment or huge amounts of funding — all you need is a camera (which could be your phone) and a good story” — Kiana Rawji
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Simerg: What was most difficult about filming Inside Job?
Kiana: Well, the effort to make a period film in a foreign country in under a week with a budget under $10,000 was a huge challenge in itself. But I was able to find an incredible, talented cast and crew to achieve this and make it all easier.
The biggest challenge I faced was trying to get it right. I was recreating a history that I hadn’t lived through. I studied Swahili at Harvard and that helped but I don’t even speak or understand Gujarati. But the way I addressed that challenge was to consult a lot of experts.
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“When it comes to filmmaking around social issues, I’ve learned that stories of injustice and adversity are incomplete without the stories of resilience and endurance that invariably exist alongside them” — Kiana Rawji
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Simerg: As for your other film, Mama of Manyatta, how did that come about? How did you come to meet the subject, Phelgone Jacks?
Kiana: A few years before I made the film, my older sister Zahra had met Mama Phelgone through a Harvard College summer global health program that connected students with local NGOs and CBOs. Mama Phelgone worked on removing stigma around those affected by HIV/AIDS in Kisumu. After spending some time with Mama Phelgone, Zahra told me there was a story there that I had to tell. The next summer (summer 2019), when I went to Kisumu and met Phelgone myself, I instantly agreed that hers was a story that needed to be told. Her community-centered approach to creating impact was remarkable, and she, herself, was one of the most generous, compassionate, and dedicated people I have ever met.
Twenty years ago, Phelgone founded a community-based organization fighting HIV/AIDS and gender-based violence in the slum of Manyatta in Kisumu. She was a mother figure to Manyatta’s young and old; she built an Early Childhood Development Center outside her home, hosted safe-sex workshops for teenage girls, counseling sessions for women survivors, and more. Though she helped people work through immense trauma, what was most remarkable about Mama Phelgone (as she was affectionately known in Manyatta) was that she cultivated strength and joy wherever she went, through prayer, song, and dance. She was, in her own words, an “ambassador of hope.”
Rather than the all-too-common narrative of the suffering African poor, I wanted Mama of Manyatta to present a portrait of African empowerment and leadership.
Soon after I shot Mama of Manyatta in 2022, Mama Phelgone was diagnosed with metastatic cancer. She passed away in the middle of my post-production. Though I was deeply saddened, my drive to preserve a remarkable life and legacy only intensified. Through my film, I hope Phelgone’s story continues to inspire change.
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“I decided I didn’t want to be a filmmaker who hides behind her lens, observing, recording, then leaving. I want to be the kind who knows when to stop being a fly on the wall and start engaging — when to be a friend, not just a filmmaker. When artists get proximate to their subjects — which sometimes requires those precious interactions unmediated by a camera lens — opening their souls and immersing themselves in the lives of others, the product is more meaningful and fulfilling for everyone involved” — Kiana Rawji
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Simerg: What were some of the most memorable moments from the production/filming of Mama of Manyatta?
Kiana: There were so many — it was such a joy and a privilege to be included in the circle of warmth and love that Mama Phelgone radiated.
But there is one moment in particular that stuck with me. It was in the middle of a workshop on gender-based-violence; Phelgone was helping a group of women — survivors of sexual assault –prepare for upcoming post-election violence and the risk it posed to women in the community, including themselves. I remember that, when Phelgone sensed the air in the room growing heavy, she suggested a dance break.
And so they got up, they played music, they danced, they smiled, and they laughed.
Phelgone and the women beckoned for me to join them. But the filmmaker in me was so keen to capture every detail of this moment — the rhythmic body movements, the courageous smiles, the unbridled laughter. Something unexpected and beautiful could happen any second, and if my camera wasn’t rolling. But that day, I realized that sometimes you also miss things when the camera is rolling. After filming the women dancing for a few minutes, I decided to set down my camera and join them. They showed me some moves, I was awful, they laughed at me, Ilaughed at me, and it was wonderful. I went into that shoot believing in the power of the camera, but I came out of it having also learned the power of putting it down.
Simerg: What inspires you? What drives your creative process?
Kiana: My intersecting identities as a South Asian Muslim woman and child of immigrants from East Africa inform the stories I want — and need — to tell.I strive to tell stories that recognize diversity, complexity, and nuance, while connecting people through universal, human experiences. I’m especially interested in topics surrounding migration, diasporas, and identity.
My creative process is driven by compassion, curiosity and collaboration. It begins with passion and personal investment in a story, followed by detailed research and engagement with real people and real stories.
Simerg: What is your advice to aspiring filmmakers?
Kiana: It doesn’t take much to start. You don’t need fancy equipment or huge amounts of funding — all you need is a camera (which could be your phone) and a good story. There are so many resources online. I taught myself how to use film editing software and write film scripts on the Internet. It just takes initiative and passion, and if you have those two things, you’re off to the races. I always remember what my idol, Ava DuVernay, said once when giving advice to filmmakers starting out. She said something along the lines of ‘don’t wait for something precious.’ Just begin. It doesn’t need to be the perfect, most eye-grabbing, world-changing idea. Everything you make will help you learn, and you’ll only get better. Just begin by telling stories you care about.
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Event Summary
What: Kiana Rawji Film Screening — Inside Job and Mama of Manyatta
Support and Sponsor Filmmaker: Kiana Rawji welcomes sponsors who wish to support the event in Calgary and her continued work in film. The young artist will appreciate any contribution. Please contact her or submit your sponsorship via an e-transfer to kianarawjifilms@gmail.com.
Date posted: November 26, 2024.
Correction: The featured image in the original version mistakenly highlighted November 7, 2024, as the event date. The image has been corrected to reflect the correct event date, December 7, 2024. The editor apologizes for the error.
On October 15th, 2023, two extraordinary films — Inside Job and Mama of Manyatta — made by a remarkable young artist, Kiana Rawji, screened at the Nanji Family Foundation Auditorium at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto with resounding success. In the packed auditorium of over 200 people on a Sunday afternoon, the event evoked laughter, tears, and in the end, a well-deserved standing ovation. I had the honour and privilege of serving as the emcee for the event, and thoroughly enjoyed seeing both films which explored vastly different issues albeit in the same East African country where I was born and lived until the age of seven. I found Inside Job especially thought-provoking and it resonated with me very powerfully as it examined important themes with which my own family would have grappled around the time that we left Kenya in 1972. I found myself deeply moved and indeed very emotional after the screening of Mama of Manyatta in which Rawji very skillfully tells a story of hope, resilience, compassion and the truly incredible journey of a community leader and mother figure working tirelessly for social justice.
Inside Job is a fictional film about an Indian woman who, when preparing to leave her home in 1970s Kenya, loses a piece of jewelry and suspects that one of her African domestic workers stole it. Mama of Manyatta is a short documentary film about Phelgone Jacks, an extraordinary woman fighting HIV and gender-based violence in a Kenyan slum.
Zainub Verjee giving her opening remarks
The event began with opening remarks made by Dr. Zainub Verjee, an accomplished writer, critic, curator, contemporary artist, and public intellectual, as well as an accomplished leader in the arts and culture sector. “When I previewed these works,” Dr. Verjee said, “I was really moved by its poetry. But more importantly, what struck me was its feminist ethos.” She continued to speak about the importance of films made with a political consciousness and the role of artists and filmmakers as imperative witnesses and narrators. Dr. Verjee asserted, “It takes moral courage to tell a story. It takes moral courage to act and to speak for the public good. To speak for the oppressed. To speak for a society, to speak for peace, to speak for pluralism, and to speak for making this world a better place.”
The screening of the two films was followed by a Q&A moderated by Narendra Pachkhédé, a trained filmmaker who practiced as a multidisciplinary artist, curator, programmer, critic and writer. Remarking on Rawji’s films that screened, Pachkhédé reflected, “In both these works, the story emerges as a site of micropolitics, albeit in different ways. Inside Job cleverly frames the power relations within this interracial narrative, and yet stays clear of dipping into a sentimental tone… And how those boundaries are drawn that keeps just the right distance between the subject and the perspective and the mood of the film: the pacing… While Mama of Manyatta defines how communities of care are formed.”
Kiana Rawji in conversation with Narendra Pachkhédé following the screening of her two short films at the Aga Khan Museum Toronto, October 15, 2023.
When asked about what drew her to filmmaking in the first place, Kiana reflected on the first film class she ever took, out of sheer curiosity, during her first year at Harvard: it was a course at MIT called Social Justice and the Documentary Film taught by filmmaker and Professor Vivek Bald. This class opened her eyes in more ways than one. Kiana explained that it was her realization of the power of film to engage with social justice issues combined with the discovery of her passion for it that propelled her into the practice. She explained, “I absolutely loved the process; I learned so much about myself, about others, about the world around me… I loved holding a camera, I loved interviewing people, I loved the research… something clicked for me, and I realized this is what I want to do, and I haven’t looked back since.”
Inside Job, a film by Kiana Rawji premirred with Mama of Manyatta on Sunday, October 15, 2023, at the Aga Khan Museum, Toronto.
Rawji discussed various elements of the films and what inspired them both. With Inside Job, it was important to her to shed light on history through the lens of those often unheard in the archives, impacted by colonialism. “If you think about what gets counted in the history books,” she said, “it’s so rare to have a Harvard research project about a woman’s life in the kitchen. But that’s what I was really interested in from a very academic, intellectual standpoint, and from an emotional standpoint — I wanted to know what life was like, because that’s what you need to make a film and create the world.” She was interested in how intertwined racial and socioeconomic hierarchies constructed during the colonial era affected daily, intimate relationships between black and brown East Africans in the household; how cultural norms could be both reinforced and transcended behind closed yet porous doors.
Mama of Manyatta, a film by Kiana Rawji premiered with Inside Job on Sunday, October 15, 2023, at the Aga Khan Museum Toronto.
With Mama of Manyatta, Rawji similarly sought to give voice to those overlooked in society and to change the narrative. She asserted, “There is so much resistance in resilience, in joy, in dignity. And these are all things that Phelgone was cultivating every day, despite that hardship and the trauma that she was witnessing and helping people move through.” Rawji did not want to create another narrative of the suffering African poor, and instead, wanted to tell a story of African self-empowerment, endurance, and resilience.
Kiana Rawji engages with the audience.
On the topic of race and its role in her work, Rawji referenced a historian who influenced her own thinking early on at Harvard, teaching her that, though race is a social construct and is not “real,” the consequences of it are real and cannot be ignored. Rawji explained that her own films strive to “tackle the consequences of race – the ways that the constructions we have of each other, and systems of oppression that are based on race, are affecting people in their daily lives, whether it’s in Manyatta or in an East African Asian home in 1970s Nairobi. And I think the implications are always there, looming, and it’s about how we move through what race has caused in our societies.”
It was a real pleasure to have the opportunity to watch these two wonderful and very well-made films by such a talented, up-and-coming young artist. What Rawji has so ably done, through both Inside Job and Mama of Manyatta, is teach us about history from a truly unique perspective. She has given us so much to think about in the profoundly moving way that she gives voice to the forces of resilience, community, and hope. The screening of Inside Job and Mama of Manyatta on October 15 was an inspiring event which gave those in attendance an early peek into the work of a gifted filmmaker with tremendous promise who will undoubtedly continue to make a real and meaningful difference through her films.
Date posted: November 1, 2023.
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Aly Alibhai
About the author: Aly N. Alibhai has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business and obtained a Juris Doctor degree from the Faculty of Law at the University of Windsor. He has worked in different capacities as a lawyer, adjudicator and public sector executive at different levels of government in Canada and has an extensive and longstanding history of community service and engagement in the governance of a host of different not-for-profit and civil society organizations. Currently, Mr. Alibhai serves as an executive with Ontario Public Service as theDirector of the Child, Youth and Family Services Act Review Branch in the Strategic Policy Division of the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services and is the Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors of Bellwoods Centres for Community Living Inc. in Toronto, a member of the Board of Directors of Rooftops Canada/Abri International, and a member of the Complaints Committee for the Human Resources Professionals Association of Canada.
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Kiana Rawji
About the filmmaker: Kiana Rawji is an award-winning filmmaker from Calgary, Alberta, and daughter of South Asian immigrants from Kenya. She recently graduated summa cum laude from Harvard College studying Film and History & Literature. Through film, she tries to amplify social issues and drive cultural change; from independent theatres to Oscar-qualifying film festivals, her films have screened across Canada, the USA, and East Africa. Kiana’s TEDx talks on Islam and the Cosmopolitan Ethic have reached over 150,000 people worldwide. She has a website www.kianarawji.com and you can stay tuned for upcoming opportunities to view Kiana’s films and stay updated on her future work by following her on Instagram @kianarawjifilms.
We are pleased to announce that a generous sponsor has donated a limited number of tickets for students, seniors (75+), newcomers, and any others for whom cost is a barrier to Kiana Rawji’s Film Screening in the Nanji Family Foundation Auditorium at the Aga Khan Museum on Sunday, October 15, 2023. Those identifying with these categories may use the promo code KRFILMS2023. The link to obtain tickets is https://krfilms.eventbrite.com/. When the screen is displayed, click on the icon Get Tickets; it will take you to the check-out screen where you can enter the promo code KRFILMS2023. The cost of the ticket, CA$22.63, will be waived and you will get a free ticket provided tickets are still available.
The two films screening on October 15th are:
Inside Job: A short fictional film about an Indian woman who, when preparing to leave her home in 1970s Kenya, loses a piece of jewelry and suspects one of her African domestic servants stole it; and
Mama of Manyatta: A short documentary about an extraordinary woman fighting HIV and gender-based violence in a Kenyan slum.
Kiana recently gave us an EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW where she told us about her work and what inspires her. We now invite you to watch her two short films at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto on Sunday, October 15.
Purchase Tickets at Eventbrite for Kiana Rawji’s Film Screening at the Aga Khan Museum, October 15, 2023, 11 AM – 1 PM
Click on https://krfilms.eventbrite.com/ or on the image below to obtain your tickets. If cost is a barrier, use the Promo Code KRFILMS2023 to acquire a free ticket; Kiana wants everyone who wants to attend to be able to attend the screening of her films. Tickets are limited!
Please click on image to purchase tickets at Eventbrite. If cost is a barrier, enter promo code KRFILMS2023 at checkout for a free ticket.
Date posted: October 14, 2023.
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Kiana Rawji
Kiana Rawji is an award-winning filmmaker from Calgary, Alberta, and daughter of South Asian immigrants from Kenya. She recently graduated summa cum laude from Harvard College studying Film and History & Literature. Through film, she tries to amplify social issues and drive cultural change; from independent theatres to Oscar-qualifying film festivals, her films have screened across Canada, the USA, and East Africa. Kiana’s TEDx talks on Islam and the Cosmopolitan Ethic have reached over 150,000 people worldwide. Please click https://krfilms.eventbrite.com/ to attend her two short film screenings at the Aga Khan Museum on Sunday, October 15, 2023.
On October 15, at the Aga Khan Museum’s Nanji Foundation Auditorium, will be the Canadian premiere of two short films by award-winning Canadian filmmaker, Kiana Rawji. Kiana recently graduated summa cum laude from Harvard College with a joint concentration in History & Literature and Film, specializing in Cross Cultural Encounters, Diasporic Identities and The Indian Ocean. From independent theaters to Oscar-qualifying film festivals, her films have screened across Canada, the US, and East Africa.
The two films screening on October 15th are:
Inside Job: A short fictional film about an Indian woman who, when preparing to leave her home in 1970s Kenya, loses a piece of jewelry and suspects one of her African domestic servants stole it; and
Mama of Manyatta: A short documentary about an extraordinary woman fighting HIV and gender-based violence in a Kenyan slum
In our interview with Kiana we learn more about her work and what inspires her. We invite you to watch her two short films at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto on Sunday, October 15:
Voices: Simerg’s Interview with Kiana Rawji
“I strive to tell stories that recognize diversity, complexity, and nuance, while connecting people through universal, human experiences. I’m especially interested in topics surrounding migration, diasporas, and identity” — Kiana Rawji
Kiana Rawji
Simerg: Can you tell us about how you got into filmmaking?
Kiana Rawji: Throughout high school, I had been interested in the intersection between storytelling and social justice, and I had pursued that through writing and public speaking. Filmmaking was always a hobby of mine growing up, but I never even considered it as an academic or career path. When I got to Harvard, I thought I was going to study Government and go to Law School. But then I took a class called Social Justice and the Documentary Film my first year and I was drawn to film as a provocative medium to raise awareness, evoke empathy, and elevate marginalized voices. After I made my first short film in that class, I never looked back. Now I can’t imagine myself as anything other than a filmmaker.
At Harvard, I pursued a joint concentration because through History & Literature, I could learn about the very histories, in all their nuance and complexity, that would inform the stories I want to tell through film. Inside Job was a perfect example of that.
Simerg: Where did the idea for Inside Job come from?
Kiana: The film was largely based on my own family history — my parents and grandparents grew up in Nairobi, but before that my family traces back to Gujarat, India. I knew I wanted to make a film set in the 1970s Kenya, during a period of exacerbated racial tensions, due to the rise of ethnocentric nationalism in the region. I was particularly interested in the ways “Africans” and “Indians”/“Asians” perceived and interacted with each other. Since society was so racially segregated though, I realized the most common realm of interracial interaction and intimacy was in the household; virtually all brown households employed black domestic “servants”. What was all the more interesting was that, despite the deeply entrenched taboo that restricted social contact between brown women and black men in particular, these two types of people consistently interacted on a daily basis through the domestic labor relationship. I started to wonder how larger cultural norms and boundaries as well as political tensions were both reinforced and transcended in such close quarters.
Interview continues below
Inside Job, a film by Kiana Rawji that will premiere with Mama of Manyatta on Sunday, October 15, 2023, at the Aga Khan Museum, Toronto.
So I decided to explore that dynamic through oral history research. I interviewed many East African Asian women who lived through the 70s, as well as black African domestic workers. These interviews informed my whole script, from the subtleties of the dialogue to the core elements of the plot. I decided to focus on the theme of theft because of how much it came up in my interviews, and how symbolic it was; it was clear that both sides felt the other had stolen something from them. South Asians in East Africa felt that their own homes, along with properties, businesses, etc., were stolen from them when they were largely expelled from the region in the 70s. At the same time, native East Africans felt that “Asians” had stolen all the wealth and land in the first place. Both were stuck in a colonial system of inequality and a highly racialized socioeconomic hierarchy that lasted well beyond the colonial period. It’s a complex issue. Both sides built up mythologies around and resentments toward each other, and I think part of that can be reflected in relationships fostered in the household.
Simerg: What was most difficult about filming Inside Job?
Kiana: Well, the effort to make a period film in a foreign country in under a week with a budget under $10,000 was a huge challenge in itself. But I was able to find an incredible, talented cast and crew to achieve this and make it all easier.
The biggest challenge I faced was trying to get it right. I was recreating a history that I hadn’t lived through. I studied Swahili at Harvard and that helped but I don’t even speak or understand Gujarati. But the way I addressed that challenge was to consult a lot of experts.
The interviews I conducted before writing the script were, themselves, instrumental to helping me understand the details of what it was like to live in 1970s East Africa, from the food that was eaten to the daily routines. I looked at old photos from my interview subjects as source material for my costume designer. I based the Indian family off of an Ismaili family, since that’s who I was primarily interviewing and that’s my family history, so that meant that the family would be much more westernized than other South Asians in the region, wearing western clothing and using British dishware.
I was fortunate to receive generous support from Nazim Mitha at the National Museum in Nairobi; he connected me with one of the main museum curators (who was helping put together the upcoming exhibit on East African Indians) who was basically my set design consultant, guiding me on props and setups. Shariffa Keshavjee, who has been a regular contributor to Simerg and an avid patron of the arts, was also such an amazing source of support; she was a source of cultural knowledge and also helped connect me to people in the local film industry. And then one of the most important things was finding actors who spoke the languages of the film (English, Gujarati, and Swahili) and could move authentically and fluidly between them, infusing scripted lines with their own touch. All these details are what helped me build the world of my film in a colorful, sensitive, and authentic way. It was one of the most fun and rewarding experiences I’ve had.
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“When it comes to filmmaking around social issues, I’ve learned that stories of injustice and adversity are incomplete without the stories of resilience and endurance that invariably exist alongside them” — Kiana Rawji
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Simerg: As for your other film, Mama of Manyatta, how did that come about? How did you come to meet the subject, Phelgone Jacks?
Kiana: A few years before I made the film, my older sister Zahra had met Mama Phelgone through a Harvard College summer global health program that connected students with local NGOs and CBOs. Mama Phelgone worked on removing stigma around those affected by HIV/AIDS in Kisumu. After spending some time with Mama Phelgone, Zahra told me there was a story there that I had to tell. The next summer (summer 2019), when I went to Kisumu and met Phelgone myself, I instantly agreed that hers was a story that needed to be told. Her community-centered approach to creating impact was remarkable, and she, herself, was one of the most generous, compassionate, and dedicated people I have ever met.
Twenty years ago, Phelgone founded a community-based organization fighting HIV/AIDS and gender-based violence in the slum of Manyatta in Kisumu. She was a mother figure to Manyatta’s young and old; she built an Early Childhood Development Center outside her home, hosted safe-sex workshops for teenage girls, counseling sessions for women survivors, and more. Though she helped people work through immense trauma, what was most remarkable about Mama Phelgone (as she was affectionately known in Manyatta) was that she cultivated strength and joy wherever she went, through prayer, song, and dance. She was, in her own words, an “ambassador of hope.”
Rather than the all-too-common narrative of the suffering African poor, I wanted Mama of Manyatta to present a portrait of African empowerment and leadership.
In a similar vein, while my 2021 documentary Long Distance was an exposé of systemic racial injustice in Canada’s immigration system, it was also, at its core, a love story about a Filipino immigrant couple — two resolute dreamers who prevailed despite the forces working against them. When it comes to filmmaking around social issues, I’ve learned that stories of injustice and adversity are incomplete without the stories of resilience and endurance that invariably exist alongside them.
Soon after I shot Mama of Manyatta in 2022, Mama Phelgone was diagnosed with metastatic cancer. She passed away in the middle of my post-production. Though I was deeply saddened, my drive to preserve a remarkable life and legacy only intensified. Through my film, I hope Phelgone’s story continues to inspire change.
Interview continues below
Mama of Manyatta, a film by Kiana Rawji that will premiere with Inside Job on Sunday, October 15, 2023, at the Aga Khan Museum Toronto.
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“I decided I didn’t want to be a filmmaker who hides behind her lens, observing, recording, then leaving. I want to be the kind who knows when to stop being a fly on the wall and start engaging — when to be a friend, not just a filmmaker. When artists get proximate to their subjects — which sometimes requires those precious interactions unmediated by a camera lens — opening their souls and immersing themselves in the lives of others, the product is more meaningful and fulfilling for everyone involved” — Kiana Rawji
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Simerg: What were some of the most memorable moments from the production/filming of Mama of Manyatta?
Kiana: There were so many — it was such a joy and a privilege to be included in the circle of warmth and love that Mama Phelgone radiated.
But there is one moment in particular that stuck with me. It was in the middle of a workshop on gender-based-violence; Phelgone was helping a group of women — survivors of sexual assault –prepare for upcoming post-election violence and the risk it posed to women in the community, including themselves. I remember that, when Phelgone sensed the air in the room growing heavy, she suggested a dance break.
And so they got up, they played music, they danced, they smiled, and they laughed.
Phelgone and the women beckoned for me to join them. But the filmmaker in me was so keen to capture every detail of this moment — the rhythmic body movements, the courageous smiles, the unbridled laughter. Something unexpected and beautiful could happen any second, and if my camera wasn’t rolling, I thought, I might miss it. But that day, I realized that sometimes you also miss things when the camera is rolling. After filming the women dancing for a few minutes, I decided to set down my camera and join them. They showed me some moves, I was awful, they laughed at me, Ilaughed at me, and it was wonderful.
I went into that shoot believing in the power of the camera, but I came out of it having also learned the power of putting it down. I decided I didn’t want to be a filmmaker who hides behind her lens, observing, recording, then leaving. I want to be the kind who knows when to stop being a fly on the wall and start engaging — when to be a friend, not just a filmmaker.When artists get proximate to their subjects — which sometimes requires those precious interactions unmediated by a camera lens — opening their souls and immersing themselves in the lives of others (whether through dancing, sharing meals, or conversations), the product is more meaningful and fulfilling for everyone involved.
Simerg: What inspires you? What drives your creative process?
Kiana: My intersecting identities as a South Asian Muslim woman and child of immigrants from East Africa inform the stories I want — and need — to tell.I strive to tell stories that recognize diversity, complexity, and nuance, while connecting people through universal, human experiences. I’m especially interested in topics surrounding migration, diasporas, and identity.
My creative process is driven by compassion, curiosity and collaboration. It begins with passion and personal investment in a story, followed by detailed research and engagement with real people and real stories. Sometimes my work is based on my personal life and serves as catharsis. Other times, I start with family history, like in Inside Job. Other times yet, I look for the extraordinary in ordinary people who endure injustice, like in Mama of Manyatta, or my previous documentary, Long Distance.
Simerg: What is your advice to aspiring filmmakers?
Kiana: It doesn’t take much to start. You don’t need fancy equipment or huge amounts of funding — all you need is a camera (which could be your phone) and a good story. There are so many resources online. I taught myself how to use film editing software and write film scripts on the Internet. It just takes initiative and passion, and if you have those two things, you’re off to the races. I always remember what my idol, Ava DuVernay, said once when giving advice to filmmakers starting out. (I remember meeting her at a Harvard event, and feeling so energized and unbelievably inspired by her; she is the person who made me realize I wanted to be a filmmaker in the first place). She said something along the lines of ‘don’t wait for something precious.’ Just begin. It doesn’t need to be the perfect, most eye-grabbing, world-changing idea. Everything you make will help you learn, and you’ll only get better. Just begin by telling stories you care about.
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Purchase Tickets at Eventbrite for Kiana Rawji’s Film Screening at the Aga Khan Museum, October 15, 2023, 11 AM – 1 PM
A limited number of tickets to the screening of Kiana’s two films on Sunday, October 15, 2023 from 11 AM – 1 PM at the Aga Khan Museum’s Nanji Foundation Auditorium are available and can be purchased by clicking on EVENTBRITE – KIANA RAWJI FILM SCREENING. Secure your tickets ASAP before they sell out! The price of the ticket includes parking at the Museum.
On the day of the screening, the Museum’s restaurant, Diwan, will be open (it is recommended to make a reservation in advance) as well as the Museum cafe.
Film screening guests will receive a 50% off discount on museum tickets (normally valued at $20), and are invited to explore the Aga Khan Museum exhibitions before or after the screening, during operating hours of 10 AM – 5:30 PM.
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Visit Kiana Rawji’s Website
Details about Kiana and her previous work can be found at www.kianarawji.com.
Date posted: September 28, 2023.
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Kiana Rawji
Kiana Rawji is an award-winning filmmaker from Calgary, Alberta, and daughter of South Asian immigrants from Kenya. She recently graduated summa cum laude from Harvard College studying Film and History & Literature. Through film, she tries to amplify social issues and drive cultural change; from independent theatres to Oscar-qualifying film festivals, her films have screened across Canada, the USA, and East Africa. Kiana’s TEDx talks on Islam and the Cosmopolitan Ethic have reached over 150,000 people worldwide.
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