Film

The Ancestors

2018 · 1h 33m · Documentary

This film follows John Kitime, a Tanzanian musician now in his 60s, as he sets out on a mission to put together an all-star band from the old days to revive the classic sound of Zilipendwa music. Along the way, he meets the people who played key roles in the music scene of Tanzania during the struggle for independence and the nation's formative years under the first president, Julius K. Nyerere. As Kitime plays with the band, spends time with musicians and digitizes reel-to-reel tapes from the 1960s and '70s, he reveals a fascinating and little-known story about the power of music to bring together a people and a nation.

• Rebecca CoreyDirector · Editor · Writer
• Amil ShivjiEditor · Director · Writer
• Jerome WilliamEditor

Release date

July 13, 2018

Status

Released

Original language

Swahili

Runtime

1h 33m

Genres

Documentary