Years after his father’s murder, thirteen-year-old Simon Ali dreams of becoming a journalist and begins searching for the killers, frustrated by the lack of answers. His father worked as a ranger for the Laikipia Conservancy, Kenya’s largest private sanctuary, for over 20 years, and Simon suspects the nomadic pastoral tribes who would trespass through the conservancy were behind the attack. But as Simon’s investigation reveals the complexity of local conflicts and global forces beyond his control, he begins to reflect on his father’s final word, amani – Swahili for peace — and the legacy he wants to cultivate.
Directors Nicole Gormley and Debra Aroko anchor their documentary around Simon’s personal story while weaving in ambitious explorations of the colonialist history of Kenya and wildlife conservation, the deep-rooted conflict between local farmers, rangers, and traditional herders, and the effects of climate change-inflicted droughts on traditional ways of life. An unflinching chronicle of postcolonial upheaval and one family’s choice to search for peace in the face of tragedy.
Oct 4 & 5: Q&A with producer Peter Goetz
Media Partner
Community Partner
Simon Ali
USA/Kenya
2024
In Swahili and English with English subtitles
Violence
Open to youth!
Book Tickets
Indigenous & Community Access
Indigenous Access Tickets Community Access Tickets Ticket Donation Requests
Credits & Director
Executive Producer
Geralyn Dreyfous, David and Linda Cornfield, Randy Gebhardt, Christopher Gebhardt, Janet Tittiger, Gottfried Tittiger, Peter Tittiger, Paula Kahumbu
Producer
Nicole Gormley, Peter Goetz, Mungai Kiroga, Caryn Capotosto
Screenwriter
Vickie Curtis, Peter Goetz, Debra Aroko
Cinematography
Campbell Brewer
ANIM
Mai The Vu
Editor
Tessa Malsam, Davis Coombe
Original Music
David Naroth, Monica Sonand, David Fleming
Nicole Gormley
Nicole is a documentary filmmaker, photographer, and ocean advocate with a focus on telling stories that inspire people to value their relationship with the natural world. She believes in the power of storytelling and its ability to increase empathy and create impact. She has produced projects in over fifty countries for several of the world’s leading media outlets including Netflix’s Emmy-nominated series Ugly Delicious (2020) and dozens of international expeditions for brands and networks. Nicole’s directing work includes the award-winning short films, Lessons From Jeju (2020), The Monster in Our Closet (2022), and Daughter of the Sea (2023).
Debra Aroko
Debra is a Kenyan filmmaker and producer with a passion for telling stories that capture the nuanced realities of communities facing the effects of a global climate crisis. Her work seeks to highlight the challenges they face while also exploring the resilience and hope that sustains them. Debra serves as a producer at the Solutions Storytelling Project, supported by the Skoll Foundation, overseeing the production of 19 short documentary films from across the African continent. The project connects African filmmakers with social innovators to create solutions-focused films that inspire positive change in their communities.
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
Erupcja
Charli xcx headlines this indie gem about a young English couple coming unmoored over a few days in Warsaw. Will means to propose. Beth has cold feet -- and an escape hatch she has barely admitted to herself... Think Before Sunrise 2025.
The Doll
In our new Film Studies series on Thursdays, Devan Scott guides us through the evolution of lighting techniques from the silent era to the present day. Each presentation will include a classic film screening; this week, The Doll (1919).
The Art of Adventure
The unbelievable adventure story of how painter Robert Bateman and ecologist Bristol Foster drove a Land Rover from Africa to Australia in 1957, developing a love of nature to last a lifetime. An inspirational love letter to the adventure of life itself.
How Deep Is Your Love
Filmmaker Eleanor Mortimer tags along with a team of oceanographers and marine biologists as they survey the Clarion-Clipperton fracture, one of the most remote spots on Earth, home to a dazzling array of unknown creatures.