Forget Riverwood and Machawood, there is a new filmmaking location in town, Eastleighwood! It has taken the Kenyan film industry by storm. We sat down with Burman Iman, one of the founders of Eastleighwood to discover the story behind the story
How did Eastleighwood come about?
I have always had a passion for film. My love for media was driven by the fact that I am a Kenyan Somali. You see, coming from a marginalised community, no one is willing to tell our stories in a positive way. All you will find are negative stories told by outsiders who know nothing about our culture. The only stories available were stories of pirates and terrorists. In fact, most African stories told in the media revolve around the three Ds: disaster, displacement and drought. I wanted to be part of the movement that would use media as a forum to change that image.
How exactly did you start?
Initially, I started a website, imanebusiness.com, in 2011 and a magazine that was both in English and Somali, but I was not reaching my audience. I realised that Somalis don’t like reading. They like watching TV or listening to radio. I had to change my mode of communication and that is how Eastleighwood was born.
Why did you take the community-based approach instead of just starting your own production company?
My vision for Eastleighwood was not an individualistic one. I wanted it to be inclusive and include the community in every step. I wanted to kill the stereotypes and racial profiling of the Somali community, not just in Kenya, but the world over, and at the same time, bring empowerment to the community.
We began with short plays, documentaries, short films and feature films. Soon, we introduced a music and fashion department, basically Eastleighwood is now not just about film, but is a community centre for art and culture. It is a forum where the youth can nurture their talents. It is also a platform to educate the youth about drugs, HIV/Aids, early marriages and female genital mutilation.
What do you hope to accomplish with your films?
We want to give our side of the story. We want to expose the fact that not all Somali are terrorists, and to show how vulnerable and jobless youth get drawn in by international Mafia. Most of these youth who are involved in terrorist activities are hopeless, jobless and are easily brainwashed . I hope that through Eastleighwood, we will be able to change people’s impressions of the Somali society. We want Somali movies that talk about love and our culture.
How easy was it to sell the film agenda?
It was very challenging. First, we discovered that there were no archives of Somali films. We were the people who were laying the foundation. We lacked the financial muscle to buy film equipment and also, hiring professional actors and actresses was a tough call. Most people we approached thought everything to do with the film was haram (go against our religion). So, we had to create awareness on the ground.
What’s your current film project?
Mistaken is our first feature film. The film is about a group of international gangs and terrorists. They hire jobless youth to do their dirty work. The men marry women from Somalia, whom they bring to Kenya to work undercover for the gangs. Jamal, the lead character in the film, gets drawn into the lifestyle but quickly gets tired of being used. As a result, he decides to defy orders and fights for the poor lady he brought into the country in the pretext of marriage with the help of another gang. The cast include Hassan A Salat (Jamal), Anfac (Aisha) and Qali Ahmed (Deqa). It is in Somali but has English subtitles.
Where can one watch this film?
We will not be releasing the film on cinema. We want to adopt a community-based approach and take the film directly to the people. The film has already been shown on Al Jazeera. Next, we will screen it at community-based platforms in Nairobi, before moving to Garissa, Mogadishu, Djibouti, US, Europe, and any other possible city. So far, the film’s trailer has received 120,000 views.
What has the response been like so far?
We have a huge following on social media, not just in Kenya, but from the Somali community all over the world. We get people who support us and those who are against us. My life has been threatened a number of times. When I started out, I would go to the police but I realised they cannot protect me and that even if they killed me, my vision will live on.
How do you fund your projects?
We approach the business community and well-wishers. Since we are a registered company, we are able to do harambees and get small grants, but mostly, it is a labour of love.
Tell us a little about yourself
I have 10 siblings, I grew up in Wajir, Eastleigh and Somalia. I also lived in Dubai and Kuwait. I guess that is why I believe that we are all one, and that we should all love and respect each other, no matter the colour of our skins, race or communities we come from.