IPFF26: The Battle for Laikipia

Daphne Matziaraki & Peter Murimi/Estados Unidos y Kenia/2024/Premiere internacional/

For centuries, Kenya's Laikipia region has been a grazing route for indigenous pastoralist communities. It is also home to white ranchers and conservationists who settled there during the British colonial era and stayed after Kenya's independence in 1963.

Since 2017, we have intimately filmed our characters as they confront a rapidly changing world. Laikipia has been feeling the ravaging effects of climate change for decades; the pastoralists, ranchers and conservancies rely on Laikipia's grasslands to sustain their cattle and wildlife. When drought and elections collide, conflict erupts.

Our story goes beyond the headline-grabbing conflict. Exploring the identity, the complicated legacy of British colonialism, and the intersection with climate change, all while happening during the most fragile moment of our planet.

Running time: 94 min.