Two Kenyan documentaries, How to Build a Library and The Shadow Scholars, are set to screen at the Encounters South African International Documentary Festival, expected to run from June 19 to 29, 2025, in Cape Town and Johannesburg.
Now in its 27th year, the festival highlights socially conscious storytelling from around the world.
The Book Bunk duo
Kenyan documentary about the restoration of the MacMillan library, How to Build a Library, directed by Kenyan filmmaker Maia Lekow and co-director Christopher King, will be one of the opening films at the festival in June.
The documentary, which premiered at Sundance earlier this year, follows two Kenyan women, Wanjiru Koinange and Angela Wachuka (founders of Book Bunk Trust), as they breathe new life into the MacMillan library.
What begins as a small restoration effort soon transforms into a vibrant cultural hub for local residents and creatives. The film captures themes of community resilience, urban renewal, and the power of access to knowledge.
“(It) was filmed over 8 years and it captures Shiro and Wachuka as they navigate local politics, raise millions for the rebuild and confront Kenya’s colonial past,” filmmaker Maia Lekow said of the documentary.
Kenyan academic writers get spotlight
Also featured is The Shadow Scholars, directed by British filmmaker Eloise King.
The documentary follows Professor Patricia Kingori of Oxford University on a journey to Kenya to explore the country’s controversial academic ghostwriting industry.
She uncovers a hidden network of highly educated yet underemployed Kenyan graduates who produce academic papers, essays, and even PhD theses for students at elite universities in the global north.
The film raises critical questions about global education inequalities, exploitation, and the commodification of intellect.
The two films are part of a broader festival lineup showcasing over 40 documentaries from around the globe.
According to the organisers, the 2025 edition continues Encounters’ tradition of using film to challenge power, amplify marginalised voices, and celebrate creativity.
“In 2024, Encounters presented three of the five documentaries later nominated for Oscars, including the winner No Other Land,” said Mandisa Zitha, Director of Encounters. “This year we’re raising the bar even higher with an excellent selection of films that speak to the role of the documentary and impact filmmaker in 2025.”
