Filmmaker Q&A with ‘Kuishi Na Simba’ Director/Producer

Rugari and his family live on the border of the Serengeti, next to a pride of lions. During the dry season hungry lions threaten their village, and Rugari is faced with a terrible decision. Livestock is his family’s only income, and he could protect them by poisoning the lions. But if he’s caught he will be sent to jail. His daughter Nyange insists that there must be another way. Shot on location in Tanzania with a local team and director, this film is a nuanced telling of what it means to live with lions.

Curiosity Stream, Ouragan Films, Siima Media, VII Foundation and Red Cameras

All answers written by Writer, Director, Producer Erica Rugabandana

What inspired this story?

The film reflects a true story about what life is like for lions in Serengeti National Park and the hunter and gatherer Ikoma community who lives next to them. Most films made by international crews in Serengeti National Park only focus on animal behaviors and the environment, and miss the story of the Tanzanian people. But I know it is important for the world to see the reality of what living with these animals means to us Africans. Telling this story truthfully is crucial to supporting effective conservation of our wild animals. As a female filmmaker among the very few Tanzanian wildlife cinematographers in our country, my perspective shows a side of this story that can uniquely reach audiences here in Tanzania, as well as people across the world.

What impact do you hope this film/program will have?

This film is a conservation film, which teaches about the importance of implementing humane lion management strategies to safely live with lions, so ranchers do not have to resort to revenge killings to protect their families and cattle. I have already screened the film for free for 9000 people living near Serengeti National Park, and at these screenings have facilitated discussions between local people and government officials about the challenges of living with lions. Local people’s concerns are heard, and we are working together to protect their cattle without killing lions. I have also created a school curriculum that teaches children facts and safe practices around lions. We are in the process of airing the film on Tanzanian TV stations to spread the message even farther across the country. I want everyone to know that lions need to be protected and farmers need support to do so. My hope is that the film, these discussions, and the school curriculum will inspire local wildlife conservationists in the country, and encourage international NGOs to join efforts to support lion management as well as farmers so they don’t have to kill lions out of revenge. Lions are a species whose population is under threat. We need lions in the Serengeti ecosystem, for our social economic welfare through ecotourism. Rethinking about how we live with lions will help everyone in Tanzania, from a national level to a family level.

Anything else you would like people to know?

The people you see in the film are not professional actors, they are community members from the Ikoma village where the film was made. They are real victims of lions - they have lost cattle after their bomas (corrals) were attacked by lions.

What next?

Currently I am screening the film to the communities adjacent Serengeti National Park, and approximately 9000 people and school children have already watched the film. But more screenings need to be done because it is important that people see and learn from a film made in their own community. These screenings also give opportunities for community members to share their challenges with government officials and with wildlife management authorities so they can discuss how to jointly manage human wildlife conflict in a way that’s fair for everyone.