2021 Vancouver Black Independent Film Festival

SAWABONA & Kuma & Shujaa Wutu

Expired January 1, 2022 4:00 AM
Already unlocked? for access
This virtual screening is eligible for audience awards! Unlock it to cast your vote.

Denzel Onaba is a Vancouver based Black child Actor who comes across as a gentle soul with unmatched confidence on screen and on the monkey bars. Denzel began his acting journey at the age of 8 when he was contacted out of the blue by a casting director for a role in Break Away. His two days on set opened his eyes to this new world and lit a fire in his belly for acting that has only grown stronger since. Denzel, accurately named after Denzel Washington (ironically for his good nature not his acting capabilities) has since been in many commercials, including Walmart Families, numerous student and indie films and is now represented by an amazing agent. When not on set, you can find Denzel playing with his younger sister and also actress Jazlyn, the other children his family fosters, and learning Ukulele from the notable Mark Luongo. As a self directed home schooled child, Denzel enjoys spending his days reading novels, playing video games, biking and playing football, watching ocean documentaries, and he loves everything Harry Potter.


Born and raised in Mali, Hawa Aliou N'Diaye studied business law at the University of Juridical and Political Sciences of Bamako from 2005 to 2010. She completed several internships in courts, law firms, tax offices and in customs and at the University of Letters and Sciences of Bamako (ULSHB). She became a legal assistant in 2014. In 2015, she directed her first short fiction film Les mains d'or de Samba selected at FESPACO in 2017. She has been participating in writing residencies for film projects since 2014 and during this time has trained in cinema at the Gaston-Berger University in Saint-Louis, Senegal. In 2016, she directed L'absence a short documentary, which won several awards at different festivals. That same year, she participated in the co-production of the feature-length documentary The School of Hostages. Her documentary film, Kuma!, which centers on the issue of incest, was released in March 2019 and which several awards. She is also Director of the "Fêrê Demsenw" festival, a cultural festival for children. She has trained several young people in scriptwriting and is also president of the association Scène des Arts et Culture which innovates Malian culture.


Tom Johns as a young ambitious filmmaker aiming to tell stories that changes people’s life. He started his film making career in 2016 by making short films such as Kitanzi, Cheusi Dawa, Ngalangala and Way Out. This is his debut feature film.

Anita is a young woman who has become silent. Imprisoned, her contacts with the world betray her madness. Kuma is his story. A story told through a subjective camera during a visit to a prison like no other. We learn about Anita's past, and learn about her traumas.


FR

Anita est une jeune femme devenue muette. Emprisonnée, ses contacts avec le monde trahissent sa folie. Kuma, c’est son histoire. Une histoire racontée à travers une caméra subjective lors d’une visite dans une prison pas comme les autres. On y apprend le passé d’Anita, et l’on découvre ses traumatismes.


  • Year
    2019
  • Runtime
    13 minutes
  • Language
    French
  • Country
    Mali
  • Premiere
    North American
  • Rating
    PG-13
  • Director
    Hawa aliou N’DIAYE
  • Screenwriter
    Hawa aliou N’DIAYE
  • Producer
    Perspicio
  • Executive Producer
    Perspicio
  • Filmmaker
    Hawa aliou N’DIAYE
  • Cast
    Habibata I Maïga, Malaïka, Maïmouna Doumbia, Modibo Sacko
  • Cinematographer
    Gaoussou Tangara / Moussa Keïta Coulibaly
  • Editor
    Hawa aliou N’DIAYE
  • Animator
    Hawa aliou N’DIAYE
  • Composer
    Gmim waris boys, Cheick Diallo, Assitan Dembele, Djely Makan Diabaté
  • Sound Design
    Abraham kamara
  • Music
    Wari boys
Copy link