Finding Ubuntu

“Finding Ubuntu” is the directorial debut for Co-Directors, Ishmael Azeli and Annette King

Directors' Statements:

Ishmael Azeli (Co-Director, Kenya)

People might lie, but moments don't.

As a storyteller, the reason why I capture these moments of truth is to illuminate humble generosity and humanity. My goal is to tell positive stories from my home country of Kenya and the African continent. Filming scenes for “Finding Ubuntu” around a refugee camp in Malawi was pure magic because I witnessed “humanity towards others.” As a cinematographer and director, I would describe it as the universe aligning. The crew and I followed Maick Mutej on this personal journey of changing lives and living the Ubuntu philosophy.

I grew to realize that Ubuntu is a way of living life beyond random acts of kindness. I knew Maick’s story would shift narratives and show an African refugee as a leader. This is the uplifting and authentic African story that I aim to share with the world.

- Ishmael Azeli, Co-Director and Cinematographer

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Annette King (Co-Director, USA)

As a filmmaker and Director, I aimed to explore people and their personal accounts to tell authentic and captivating stories. This project started with genuine curiosity about how people around the world were dealing with the same global crisis. What I found were exceptional stories of unsung and underrepresented heroes whose selfless work deserved a spotlight.

“Finding Ubuntu” is intended to inform audiences of pressing social issues and evoke empathy through the lens of the protagonist advocating for their community while challenging stereotypes of how heroes are portrayed in film. As a Latina Producer and Director, my responsibility is to share stories of underrepresented leaders and shift mainstream media’s traditional definition of a hero.

- Annette King, Co-Director, Producer, Writer