Tuna haki

  • Tuna haki
Genre : Biography
Type : Documentary
Original title : Tunahaki
Principal country concerned : Column : Cinema/tv
Year of production : 2010
Format : Feature
Running time : 82 (in minutes)
http://www.tunahaki.com

The story of an African orphan, a teacher, and an American-volunteer, and their journey as they tumble from hope into reality.

The story begins in an orphanage called Tunahaki, in Tanzania at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro. We meet Abdul, a young man walking down a dirt road to school, he's thankful for what he has despite his lot in life.

Although orphaned, Abdul and the other children are talented acrobats, a skill they have learned from "Teacher-David", a poor man who runs the orphanage. "I teach them what I know, I know art". David gives the children hope for a future, where most have none.

Scott Fifer, a writer from Los Angeles, Googles volunteer vacation Africa. He takes a month of work off and arrives at Tunahaki, where he meets David. Scott falls in love with the children, their talents and makes a bold commitment: He wants to bring them to America. His idea is to have them perform and raise money to build a permanent home and theater back in Africa. "I want them to see a Cirque du Soliel show, I mean they would flip out … it would help them see there's a future in acrobatics…" Abdul thinks Scott "has a very big heart", but does not believe this can happen "America is very far away from here".

Getting a group of orphans from Africa to America is a bigger challenge than Scott first thought, "Who knows this could turn into a terrible disaster… this could all spiral out of control". But slowly things fall into place and when Abdul sees his passport for the first time he says, "I finally believe it. I'm actually going to America". Their little town gives them a hero's send off and as they step onto the plane we realize their lives will never be the same again.

Scott's plan surpasses all expectations and when the children land they begin a whirlwind tour performing in schools, on television, private fundraisers, the Laker's Half-Time show - all culminating in Las Vegas where they see and train with Cirque du Soleil!

The tour raised hundreds of thousands of dollars, more than enough to build a permanent home back in Africa. But how have the experiences of.99¢ Stores, All You Can Eat Buffets, and the opulence of America affected Abdul and the kids? And how will it change things back home in Tanzania?

Abdul's story and the heartfelt journey of Tunahaki gives us something new to ponder, as we reach across the world to help those less fortunate - is it always the right thing to do?

Feature Length Documentary

Director: Mason Bendewald

TRT: 82 minutes

Filming Locations: Tanzania and America

Partners

  • Arterial network
  • Media, Sports and Entertainment Group (MSE)
  • Gens de la Caraïbe
  • Groupe 30 Afrique
  • Alliance Française VANUATU
  • PACIFIC ARTS ALLIANCE
  • FURTHER ARTS
  • Zimbabwe : Culture Fund Of Zimbabwe Trust
  • RDC : Groupe TACCEMS
  • Rwanda : Positive Production
  • Togo : Kadam Kadam
  • Niger : ONG Culture Art Humanité
  • Collectif 2004 Images
  • Africultures Burkina-Faso
  • Bénincultures / Editions Plurielles
  • Africiné
  • Afrilivres

With the support of