Here was something a little different. The first feature film made for worldwide release in Swahili, Maangamizi: The Ancient One brings us a tale of healing and forgiveness. The story is set at a mental institute in Tanzania and centres on three women: a psychiatrist, a patient and a mysterious magical ancestor. Rather than the traditional scientific way of talking through your problems with your psychiatrist we are brought through the healing process the African way: through spirituality and transformation.

I’m sure the above description over simplifies the movie and its themes. I went to see this with some friends of mine who are keen existentialists and also keen philosophy students so I’m sure that they got more from the film than me as there are many more ironies and deeper thoughts entwined within the movie than I can properly describe. These include such thoughts as the traditional African conception of duality – that life is about, well, ying and yang. However, the movie was very well delivered and I think, despite my denseness, was to me able to delivery its main theme of the power of forgiveness and compassion in healing.