Thank You for the Rain

Norwegian filmmaker Julia Dahr turns her camera on Kisilu Musya, a Kenyan farmer. On the front lines of climate change, he tries to promote to his fellow citizens the importance of planting trees in order to slow down, or even reverse, the impacts of drought and soil erosion caused by heavy rains. A sort of (cinematic) dialogue between the two quickly unfolds, as Kisilu and his wife also take charge of their representation with a digital camera that documents their daily lives and which the editing of the documentary skillfully feeds into. Kisilu's trip to Norway even manages to somewhat invert the power dynamic within the gaze, as Kisilu's perspective on the place is partly conveyed, and Julia raises some critical questions about her own privileged position.

This collaboration or co-creation, marked by a mutual respect that evolves into friendship, thus overcomes an external and unequal vision. Julia Dahr and Kisilu Musya co-write the film, although the Norwegian filmmaker is the sole director. With a certain transparency, she punctuates her film with a narrative that outlines her thoughts and intentions, reorienting the project as it develops.

Revealing tangible manifestations of climate change on a community's way of life, Thank You for the Rain portrays an inspiring man whose hope is confronted by the inaction of Western governments, particularly at COP 21, sadly consolidating geographic inequalities.

Hubert Sabino-Brunette
Teacher and programmer