The Film

“I think the Covid Pandemic made us all question our relationship with nature and face up to environmental destruction caused by humans. Losing wild spaces for nature clearly has influenced the spread of disease in human populations.  Hearing about advances of desert-like conditions and droughts in Kenya and huge flash floods and landslides happening yearly in the Rwenzori Mountains added to such sad concerns. Uganda was the country of my birth and early schooling. Close childhood encounters with wildlife and expeditions in National Parks left me with beautiful long-term memories. I also know the Rwenzori mountains to be a precious water resource, that is now threatened by ever encroaching deforestation. Climate change affects everybody and Africa’s tropical forest belt is one of the great lungs of the world. So, what could I do personally? Could a film help reinforce an environmental campaign and make a difference?

A holiday in the area in 2007 and then planting trees with the Rwenzori Founders in 2019, was my inspiration.  I felt moved to respond to their new hospital campaign and edited my photographs into a short fundraiser.  I also requested permission to return and film their community environmental story. I was so impressed by what the Founders had achieved so quickly.  They had transformed previously degraded agricultural landscapes, their forest was alive with bird song, incredible biodiversity was returning so fast naturally, and local people were involved in the project from the outset. I was convinced their story could be so relevant to others facing similar climate issues.

My previous visits gave me confidence there were strong storytelling voices to be heard. Being a westerner, I chose to avoid scripting commentary, and work with a Ugandan film crew to ensure authenticity. Although the narrative approach lent local language and editing challenges, it also helped me better reflect the cultural background, alongside the challenges this changing community was facing. They face floods, landslides and drought. There are snakes, there are poachers and there are trees to plant. The story deliberately crosses genres for the project is run by artists whose goals are inseparable from their environmental work. So, I chose to interweave the nature scenes as interludes with composed music to give the story breathing space for reflection. This film is about people and nature.  Rain making is the power of trees and those who care for them. It’s a story about taking action to change lives in the face of climate change and protect a unique mountain ecosystem.

Fortunately, I was invited back by the Rwenzori founders, Talking Film Production Services came on board, and by combining skills with ex BBC Producer and friend, Jacqui Doughty, Films for Change came into being. We set about fundraising for the film with a big Kickstarter campaign March – April 2022 and were filming soon after. 

The Rwenzori Founders are proven environmental custodians who have earned great respect locally. Their outreach methods have inspired us to combine screenings with art or conservation workshops to spread awareness of their Rainmaker movement in other mountain communities.  We always shared a common goal: to screen the film in the local community.

We hope our campaign, jointly coordinated by Elsie Kariuki at DoccieSphere, will equip people with indigenous trees, practical skills and the knowledge they need to create their own reforestation projects.  With greater numbers of local people taking positive action, saving the Rwenzori Mountains could soon be a promising reality.”