Last year, we spoke of the power of going Beyond the Screen. This year, we took that promise and put it on wheels. Our mission, Cinema Meets Community, became a physical journey, a caravan that sought to close the distance between the story and the storyteller, the screen and the community.
Our caravan began in Dar es Salaam with an intentional two-part program. We started the evening with “Reel Sistaz,” an intimate, closed-door session that created a safe and powerful space for women to connect over shared stories. Transitioning from that focused energy to our larger public evening screenings felt like the perfect launch, showing our commitment to both deep dialogue and broad community engagement.
The stop in Pwani was a powerful reminder of our mission. Seeing a crowd of over 300 people from the community gather under the stars was simply incredible. The energy was electric, and the engagement during the performances and film screenings proved that when you bring stories directly to the people, the connection is real and immediate.
Bringing the festival to Arusha for the first time, we honestly didn’t know what to expect. The warm and enthusiastic welcome we received for our grand finale was more than we could have hoped for. You made us feel right at home and gave the festival the celebratory send-off it deserved.
This journey was only possible because of our dedicated partners, who believed in this vision, our courageous filmmakers, who trusted us with their work and my incredible team, whose passion and tireless effort were the backbone of this entire caravan.
Sheilla Kipuyo
Festival Coordinator
