Review: All People: All of us (2017)

Directed by: Katja Benrath | 22 minutes | short film, drama | Actors: Barkhad Abdirahman, Faysal Ahmed, Mahad Ahmed, Abdiwali Farrah, Charlie Karumi, Alex Khayo, Gerald Langiri, Justin Mirichii, Saada Mohammed, Douglas Muigai, Adelyne Wairimu

“Watu Wote” (2017) is a powerful short film about the tensions between Christians and Muslims in Kenya. We follow Abdirashid Adan on a bus trip to Somalia. The Christian Abdirashid is clearly uncomfortable and distrusts the other Muslim passengers. She remains on her own, does not want to buy water from the Muslim seller on the bus, and in doing so arouses the annoyance of fellow traveler Salah Farah, who addresses her about this. Abdirashid defends herself by saying that her husband and children were murdered by Muslims. Salah shows understanding but also feels insulted and prevents a later rapprochement from Abdirashid. In short, there is no fun on the bus and then there is also the ever-present danger of the terrorist movement Al-Shabaab.

And that is exactly what happens, the bus is stopped by an armed gang that forces all passengers to get out. Abdirashid gets a headscarf on by the woman next to her just in time. The travelers are pressured to report the Christians in the group, and at that point Salah rises to answer the members of Al-Shabaab at the risk of his own life.

In seventeen minutes (not including the long credits), “Watu Wote” manages to put down a full story that takes the viewer to an extremely exciting climax. And then there is still time for an epilogue of image and text that tells us, among other things, that “Watu Wote” is based on a true event. “Watu Wote” nuances the image that Christians and Muslims are always and everywhere as enemies.