Doka

Directed by Kidist Yilma (Ethiopia 2023, 112:00 mins).

Set in present-day picturesque Ethiopia, Doka follows a young nurse whose life is upended when shortly after arriving in a rural town to start a new job, a violent regional conflict erupts. Thrust into the middle of the chaos, she must care for the wounded on both sides while leading the charge for unity. This gripping human drama is muraled with lush landscapes and breathtaking scenery and is set against the backdrop of a multi-generational civil war reminiscent of current events.

Preceded by:

Kesho Pia Ni Siku : Tomorrow Is Another Day

Directed by Ng'endo Mukii (Kenya, 9:20 mins).

Kesho Pia Ni Siku is a story of rebirth. It means “Tomorrow is Another Day.” Njeri Mereka is a smooth-talking, hymn-singing, 67 year old grandmother who runs her small boutique, Kanyoko Fabrics and Designs in Nairobi. She retells how she unintentionally started her business from the boot of her 1990 Toyota Corolla, survived a market fire, the social alienation of divorce, and the economic calamities of Kenya, to become independent as a business woman, and face another day.

Q&A to follow.