nullNi Sisi (It’s Us) has been playing in cinemas across Kenya since February early this year. Written and directed by Nick Reding, Ni Sisi, a drama centering on a typical Kenyan community confronting turmoil and violence amongst its members, is screening at the 2013 Durban International Film Festival in South Africa, which runs July 18 – 28, 2013.

Produced by the Kenyan NGO Safe (Sponsored Arts For Education), Ni Sisi hoped to promote a message of identity, personal accountability, unity and peace prior to Kenya’s March elections. The film stars Nairobi Half-Life‘s Joseph K. Wairimu, Jacky Vike and Godfrey Ojiambo.

Here’s a full synopsis:

Ni Sisi portrays a typical Kenyan community: a harmonious muddle of tribes, intermarriages, and extended families. Friends who have lived and worked together all their lives, who place no stock in which tribe their neighbour comes from. Then one day rumours begin to spread and suddenly mistrust takes hold. People are identified as belonging to a different tribe rather than by their identity as a p…erson.

With mistrust comes a sense of threat, with threat fear escalates- it’s a ripple effect , and old friends now turn on each other. In a matter of days, the bonds and alliances – the foundation of the community – are severed just as it did in reality in 2008. They find themselves plunging into chaos, and it seems unstoppable and brutal. Or is it possible that by learning from the mistakes of the past our once peaceful community can be given another chance?

Watch the trailer below:

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