Tanzania and USA / 2000 / 111mins / Drama, Magic Realism / English and Kiswahili

Asira, an African-American psychiatrist, moves to Tanzania and develops a special relationship with a patient, Samehe. Samehe has not spoken a word in years. With him, Asira enters the world of spirits and meets Maangamizi, the grandmother of all grandmothers.

Martin Mhando

Martin Mhando was born in Tanzania and is a Research Fellow in the School of Media, Communication and Culture at Murdoch University in Western Australia. He has a doctoral degree with his dissertation's focus being African cinema. His areas of interest include the theory, history and praxis of documentary, and third cinema. Mhando is an award-winning filmmaker with numerous directorial titles to his name. His 2000 feature-length film, Maangamizi: The Ancient One, is the first African film nominated for an Oscar for Best Foriegn Film and was winner of the Paul Robeson Award at FESPACO 2004. In addition to being co-editor of the Journal of African Cinemas, published by Intellect, UK, he is also Festival Director of the Zanzibar international Film Festival (ZIFF). Learn More

Ron Mulvihill

Active as a filmmaker, producer/director and editor for a variety of feature and documentary subjects, Ron Mulvihill is a multi-talented film/video maker and has a knack for bringing together talented individuals from around the world on international award-winning productions. He is a partner at Gris-Gris Films. His feature film, Maangamizi, the Ancient One (2000) continues to receive accolades after being selected as Tanzania’s official selection at the 74th Academy Awards. At Zanzibar’s International Film Festival, the film won Best Feature and Best Actress and also won the 2004 Paul Robeson Award for Best Feature Film. Mulvihill graduated with an MFA from the esteemed film school at UCLA. His work, much of it based on cultures in Africa, reflects cultural and spiritual elements around indigenous cultures. His film, The Marriage of Mariamu (1985), the first Tanzanian-American co-production, was a prominent Festival winner at FESPACO in 1985 having received the Best Short Film Award, the Organization of African Unity Award and the Journalists and Critics Award; it went on to win several more awards at Film Festivals in Europe and the U.S. Additionally, Mulvihill has produced three documentaries, We Are Still Here, Sharing Is Unity and Prince Dixon’s Gospel Caravan. Learn More