2021 Edition

The Letter

The Letter

Section: Long Documentaires​

Country: Kenya

Production Year: 2019

Duration: 81 minutes

Director: Maia Lekow

Screenplay: Ricardo Acosta, Christopher King, and Maia Lekow

Cinematography: Christopher King

Editor: Ricardo Acosta

Synopsis: When Karisa’s grandmother is accused of witchcraft, he travels from Mombasa to her rural home to find out who’s behind it. It turns out that the threatening letter his grandmother received came from a member of his own family. Karisa’s conversations with his relatives reveal how his uncles are accusing grandma while his aunts are trying to protect her, and how the accusations result from a combination of superstition and economic motives. Grandma is not the only one being targeted—hundreds of elders are being branded as witches as a means to steal their land.