Kenyan Filmmaker Who's Planning To Distribute His Documentary Via 'Pirates' Posts First Hour Of New Film On Youtube

from the staying-connected-and-spreading-the-word dept

Mon, Jan 7th 2013 8:02pm — Tim Cushing

A couple months back we covered the story of Patrick Mureithi, a Kenyan filmmaker who was raising money for a documentary on post-election violence in his home country. He was asking for $5,000 to cover travel expenses and some related costs and was hoping that Kenya's thriving "piracy industry" would handle the distribution end of the business, spreading his message of hope throughout his homeland.

The good news is Murethi's Indiegogo campaign met its goal and he is back in Kenya setting up viewings of his documentary and shooting more footage to add to it. It's still in its "first draft" stage according to Murethi, but he sent a message our way informing us that he's uploaded the first hour of the still-unfinished documentary to Youtube.

@techdirt Here's the film. Please share it widely: youtube.com/watch?v=Ze6tG5…Peace, p
— Patrick Mureithi (@MureithiPatrick) January 6, 2013

He's also blogging about his experiences returning to Kenya (he currently lives in Missouri), including this "fun" little shakedown at the hands of customs at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport:

Custom's dude @ the airport: Hello? What do you have in those bags?
Me: Some clothes and my camera equipment.
Dude: What are you doing with this equipment?
Me: I'm working on a documentary about healing from trauma after post-election violence.
Dude: Are you a press-man?
Me: No.
Dude: Where is your filming permit?
Me: I don't have one
Dude: Then we have to keep your equipment until you get a permit
Me: I find it hard to leave this equipment here after all the sacrifice it took to get it
Dude: Go talk to that lady (presumably his superior)

- - -

Lady: What are you using this equipment for?
(I explain what I did to dude)
Lady: But this happened five years ago!
Me: Yes, but the trauma has not gone away, and will not go away with time
Lady: How will it go away then?
Me: Through education about trauma and teaching various ways that we can heal
Lady: This is a very controversial film. You need a permit, and you need to leave your equipment with us until you get one.
Me: Please, madam, this is not agreeable with me
Lady: Go see that man in that office

- - -

Man in office: Where is your permit?
(The Dance repeats itself. 45 minutes in total)
Man: We'll let you go with your equipment, but you have to pay 1% of the equipment's cost, non-refundable

I pay, and scurry off to meet my father who has been patiently waiting, sipping coffee through a straw.

Karibu Kenya.

Apparently only non-controversial films are allowed to roam permit-free, unless you're willing to pay a non-refundable "deposit" on equipment you own. A bit of a rough start to be sure, but more recent posts seem a bit more upbeat.

Hopefully, Murethi will keep us posted on any new developments, including the implementation of his scofflaw distribution system once the film is completed.

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Filed Under: documentary, election, films, kenya, patrick mureithi, violence

5 Comments

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Anonymous Coward, 7 Jan 2013 @ 10:44pm

It's a miracle anyone wanted to see the film anyway, so no loss. I want to make a bad film, So I can sue people for trying to watch it. Where do I sign up? Suggestions please.
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That One Guy (profile), 8 Jan 2013 @ 12:46am

Re:
Try the MPAA, they've got plenty of practice in both lawsuits and crappy films.
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F!, 8 Jan 2013 @ 2:55am

Oh, Kenya...
What struck me most about that is how on my first reading, I actually found it believable that this had happened with the TSA (Yeah, I skipped ahead). I was flipping out by the end until I realized it was Kenya Customs and had a good laugh at myself. (Not that it makes it OK in Kenya, but at least it's more... 'to be expected' I suppose)

That probably says more about me than anything else, but the TSA will get there sooner rather than later...
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 8 Jan 2013 @ 5:02am

Permit to film? - Third world backwater corruption, we don't do that sort of thing in the land of the free ... this sort of thing would never happen here.
(google search) errr - what????
Well, that is only required of filming for commercial use, right?
Wait, this can't be right ... but I have rights ... do I get a phone call?
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Michael, 8 Jan 2013 @ 8:55am

No irony here...move along...
Customs Agent: What is this stuff?
Me: My camera equipment.
Agent: What do you need it for?
Me: I'm making a film about oppression.
Agent: How would you like to be in your own film?
[ link to this | view in thread ]