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Moyo

“Moyo” is a raw and poetic portrait of the children that call the Jipe Moyo and Musoma home. Painting a playful and colourful picture of the people and culture - the film highlights the rhythm of this special region of Tanzania. Surrounded by exotic wildlife and extraordinary landscapes, the people of Musoma have achieved a distinct harmony with the environment around them which flows through everything.

The Jipe Moyo centre is loved and supported by all of the community - their mission is simple, to give every child the foundation they need to build the life they deserve. Boulders and rocks are scattered all over the town, overlooking the homes and shops - in backyards, on mountain tops and on the edges of lakes and ponds. “They form the foundations of our houses, dry the fish we eat”, you could say, the rocks support the very way of life in Musoma.

Despite difficult beginnings, with the help of the sisters, the children have alchemised their hardship into bravery and now stand unfazed in the face of any challenge. Their strength is perhaps best demonstrated by their ability to and love of climbing.

  • Henry J Kamara
    Director
  • Henry J Kamara
    Producer
  • Jim Petersen
    Producer
  • Jim Petersen
    Director of Photography
  • Callum Pearson
    Editor
  • Ioana Selaru
    Score
  • Duval Timothy
    Music
  • Thomas Kumeling
    Grade
  • Michael Njuguna
    Sound Mix
  • Henry J Kamara
    Photography
  • Eddie Mwigura
    Narration
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    14 minutes 18 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    September 2, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    1,500 GBP
  • Country of Filming:
    Tanzania, United Republic of
  • Language:
    Swahili
  • Shooting Format:
    Canon Cine, Digital, 16mm grade
  • Aspect Ratio:
    4:5
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Kendal Mountain Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    November 18, 2023
    UK Premiere
    Official Selection, WINNER Best Short Film
Director Biography - Henry J Kamara

Henry J. Kamara is a British-born and London based Sierra Leonean artist, creative director and teacher creating still and moving image. With a keen passion for documenting major events and personalities, he is particularly interested in society (music and sport), politics and conflict.

With a degree in English and creative writing, Henry believes every image has the potential to tell a story. His attention to detail and intimate portraiture style enables him to craft photography with a depth and realness seldom achieved within traditional commercial photography.

Determined to position the world through alternative lenses and unearth lost stories, Kamara has been able to merge his love for storytelling and documentary with his ability to create engaging commercial imagery. As a result of this, he has been entrusted to tell stories with brands such as Apple, Beats, Youtube, Nike and more.

Believing his art is a vessel for sharing and making, Kamara dedicated the last year to help the Story of Me project, funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation which aims to decolonise the Literacy school curriculum in diverse areas. Teaching over 150 student across two primary schools in Barking whilst regularly consulting with teachers about how change can be created in the classroom, he hopes it will lay the foundations for future work in holistic education.

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Director Statement

The first time I ever went climbing was in Sierra Leone in 2018. Ever since, it has been a vital way to occupy and challenge my overactive ADHD brain. After lockdown, it also became a way of switching off the mind and connecting with the body. Like a lot of people following the COVID-era - stimulating activities that connect people and communities were sorely missed. So when that finally lifted, I began climbing at a climbing gym in London called Yonder. There a met a wonderful community of talented climbers and people. However, it struck me that very few climbers were from diverse backgrounds. The majority of people I met who were climbers were either British or European. As a British born Sierra Leonean photographer/director - much of my work focuses on the diaspora and the black experience across Europe as well as on the continent. This observation in correlation with discovering the Jipe Moyo Centre in Tanzania was the beginning. Being the spontaneous soul I am, I booked a ticket to Tanzania and was on my way! No backing, fully independent- with one mission - to be of service of children/share their story and raise money for the orphanage. But also to show the world how we Africans have always had an intimate connection to the rocks and movement. To illustrate how climbing a boulder or mountain is a metaphor for the strength and courage it takes to overcome setbacks. I hope the film inspires everyone facing challenges in all walks of life. Try hard and get over the mountain you’re facing. The project was non-profit and we raised £2000 and counting for the children through T-shirt sales! We hope to continue to support the children and the project and it’s legacy lives on.