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His father's job was to protect the animals. Whose job was it to protect him?
13-year-old Simon Ali is an aspiring investigative journalist living in Laikipia, Kenya, a lush area where elephants roam, and part of the savannah still thrives. It’s also one of the most unstable regions, making headlines for its violent clashes and record-breaking droughts.
In 2019, armed pastoralists killed his father while he worked as a tour guide. For over a year, Simon waited for the investigators to come and do their job, but they never came. Taking up the mantle of the investigation himself, Simon begins to search for the answers his family seeks. Shot over three years, exploring the life and death of Simon’s father catalyses a conversation about the changing environment, conservation, and community equity in a time of crisis.
**Screening with the following short film**
Then Comes the Body
Jacob Krupnick | 2023 | 14 min | United States
New Zealand Premiere
When a video of kids dancing in the rain goes viral, it brings global attention to an unlikely ballet school outside Lagos, Nigeria. Daniel Ajala, who learnt ballet over YouTube, is training students to perform on the world stage.
Director Christopher Gebhardt was present for Q&A following the in-cinema screenings in Christchurch.
