feature: director kivu ruhorahoza discusses his new film, ‘things of the aimless wanderer’

Kivu Ruhorahoza, director of ‘Things of the Aimless Wanderer’ has spoken to Shadow and Act about his new feature film – which made it to this year’s Sundance – and has a lot to say on Africans telling their own stories, stating “There is growing resentment towards Westerners defining the new cultural norms and being the sole narrators of the African story whatever that is”. Explore some extracts from the interview, below; plus, the trailer. 

By Alexander Aplerku, AFROPUNK Contributor

Things of the Aimless Wanderer [TRAILER] from Moon Road Films on Vimeo.

“Things of the Aimless Wanderer” is a film about the sensitive topic of relations between “Locals” and Westerners. A film about paranoia, mistrust and misunderstandings. Half a century after African independences, one would have imagined that relationships between African “intellectuals” and the West would be appeased by now. But more than ever before, tensions are rampant and mistrust is at its peak. In these times of easy access to the Internet, those who consider themselves depository of African authenticity are alert to the “Things of the Aimless Wanderer.” The ways of the Westerner.

There are more and more African voices rejecting everything “western”. There is increasing paranoia about how far we can go at embracing the ways of the westerners. African intellectuals have failed to conceptualise African modernity and the only possible modernity left for us is now Western. There is growing resentment towards Westerners defining the new cultural norms and being the sole narrators of the African story whatever that is. The “foreign correspondent” is a particularly hated figure in modern Africa because he seems to have a monopoly of the opinion on African matters.

I am not afraid of black magic. Cinema is magic. The moment I heard about the Blackmagic Cinema Camera and its specs, I realized that many of us would have no excuse anymore. I’m a little surprised many fellow filmmakers are still reluctant about all this new technology… Can they afford to? After a disappointing three years trying to traditionally develop my second feature film, Jomo, I decided I was done. I would try something different.

I am tired of being nostalgic of things I never knew. I’ve never worked with millions, I’ve never worked with 35mm, not even an ARRI Alexa. Why impose myself those prerequisites to make a feature? Following the same logic, I don’t always need to conceive films using models invented in the 20s and 30s. Is it possible to write a script in MS Excel? Certainly. Do I really need Courier or Courier New fonts to write?