ujima:
call of the Motherland

Establishing | Aerial Shot
An endless 2D sketched city landscape is suffocated by smog. There are no plants. It is a sad, dark industrial town.

Medium Shot | Over the Shoulder
A man, on his death bed, is telling a young Njoki the story of The Prophecy; we only see his back. A djembe is spotted in the background. Young Njoki is amazed at the story but is also sad to see her dad dying in front of her eyes. She is processing it all.

Extreme Wide Shot | High Angle
Years later, Njoki has a dream of herself walking down her dreary city, a colorful bird appears flying overhead. She remembers The Prophecy and recognizes it as an omen.

Extreme Wide Shot | Overhead Angle
The next day, we cut to giant area of the city full of giant TV screens and ads. Njoki realizes that this world will never feel like a home to her as she feels further alienated.

Medium Shot | Knee Level
In her sparse, cold concrete room we focus on the djembe Njoki’s father left behind for her. She begins playing the drum as she meditates on either leaving the Old World she knows or taking a leap of faith and go to Ujima. She finds herself making beats she’s never been formally taught.

Close Up Shot | Eye Level
Njoki closes her eyes as she drums, she falls into a trance and the black and white world begins to be filled in color. We notice the tagged choker that slaves are forced to wear in this close-up.Description goes here

Close Up Shot | Eye Level
The drumming reaches a crescendo. When the drumming stops, Njoki opens her eyes and in the same instant, the scene turns full color and changes to 3D. Njoki realizes that she has been transported through music to the Motherland she heard about.

Wide Shot | Eye Level
The camera pans to show Njoki’s view. She is standing in front of an entrance gate to Ujima and prepares to enter to see for the first time her real Motherland.

Wide Shot | Eye Level
After having gone through the gate, Njoki finally finds herself in front of a solarpunk village in the middle of a luscious rainforest, she sees many organic houses that integrate perfectly with the natural surroundings.

Medium Shot | Low Angle
Njoki’s new life in Ujima is not always easy, indeed she is living a conflict with the new reality: she was born in an oppressive world that was asking her to obey and not to think, so she is not used to take decisions that shape her life. She finds consolation and reassurance from one of the women of Ujima’s community.

Wide Shot | Ground Level
After having spent some months in Ujima, Njoki, as a member of the community, takes part to the summer solstice celebration, which involves some ritual dances in the forest.

Close-up Shot | Shoulder Level
During the summer solstice celebration, Njoki proudly realises that she is finally free and that she is back home, where she belongs.