The Letter
synopsis
A 94-year-old Grandmother with a fearless spirit must overcome dangerous accusations of witchcraft that are coming from within her own family. Her grandson Karisa travels home from the city to investigate. Returning to his rural village to investigate, he finds a frenzied mixture of consumerism and Christianity is turning hundreds of families against their elders, branding them as witches as a means to steal their ancestral land. It gradually emerges who sent the threatening letter and why. The understated power of women and resilience of family and community shines above all else, despite the growing threat of greed and inter-generational alienation. Kenya's submission for the Best International Feature Film Oscar 2021
cast
Margaret Kamango, Karisa Kamango
directed by
Maia Lekow, Christopher King
director's bio
Maia Lekow and Chris King are an award-winning husband and wife co-directing team. Their documentary debut, "The Letter," was filmed over 6 years on the coast of Kenya. Together with Chris's vivid cinematography, they specialize in creating emotionally rich, multi-layered stories, and are a unique voice within East Africa's new wave of documentary cinema.
screenwriter
Ricardo Acosta, Maia Lekow, Christopher King
producer
Maia Lekow, Christopher King
runtime
82 minutes
country
Kenya
category
Feature Documentary
website