Interview
“The ghosts of colonialism in Kenya”, “Grogan's Lodge” at the 2024 Clermont-Ferrand Festival
In “Regards d'Afrique”, a valuable and popular program from the International Short Film Festival in Clermont-Ferrand, director Isaya Evans takes us to his country, Kenya. Two young students want to earn some money as waitresses. But, once we arrive at “La Villa Grogan”, the ghosts of the colonial past resurface. Told in a very ceremonious way, but as cynical as it is cruel, the story shows the persistence of colonial terror in the form of a poetic horror film, through beauty, a fairytale dress and a gourmet meal. Interview.
“Grogan's Lodge”, directed by Kenyan filmmaker Isaya Evans, screened in “Regards d'Afrique” at the International Short Film Festival in Clermont-Ferrand. © Grogans Lodge Productions
By: Siegfried Forster Follow
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: Why does your film begin with an old black and white photo
?
Isaya Evans
:
In this photo, we see what
Kenya
was like during colonialism, with animals killed, Kenyans mistreated… I really wanted people to see that. The photo is in black and white because at the time, we didn't have color photos. So, it's to help the audience transport themselves to the past.
After this photo from the colonial era, your camera takes us into today's era. The story takes place in the middle of beautiful nature. Then, Joy and Susan arrive at an old hunting lodge, Villa Grogan. The two students came for a job offer. What will they discover in this house
?
The surroundings of the house are very beautiful, like in today's Kenya. It's magnificent outside, we want to be there. Then we are transported into colonialism. The house gets darker and darker, so viewers can experience Kenya during the era of colonialism.
Also read “Let’s go back”, to Algeria or France, questions Franco-Algerian filmmaker Nasser Bessalah at the 2024 Clermont-Ferrand Festival
Today, are Kenyans, in their daily lives, confronted with colonial history
?
Currently, people are not confronted with colonial history, because people have moved on. People are doing well, but there are still memories, residues of colonialism. This means that things done during colonialism, for example laws, structures, networks, are still relevant today. For example, there are streets in Kenya that are private and cannot be accessed as a “normal” Kenyan. It was like that also during colonialism. So, vestiges of colonialism are still there, but people are not very aware of it. For this we are talking about this subject again.
Isaya Evans, director of “Grogan's Lodge”, presented in “Regards d'Afrique” at the International Short Film Festival in Clermont-Ferrand. © Siegfried Forster / RFI
A very special character in the film is Mrs. Bird. What is the function of this white servant who seems to be part of the furniture in this haunted house
?
Madame Bird represents the ghosts of colonialism in Kenya. Kenya was colonized by the British, a Caucasian people, so there had to be a Caucasian character to transport us into the story. Mrs. Bird looks like a servant, someone who helps people. And during the colonial era, the British also came to “service” the Kenyans as missionaries. For this, we thought it was relevant to represent this by a servant.
Kenya was a British colony until 1963. Are there any discussions between Kenyans and the British about colonial history today?
There is no discussion today about this colonial history between Kenya and the British, because this history has long been “forgotten”. But we really need to discuss this, because even in some areas where colonization has taken place, for example in the town of Kericho in the Rift Valley, land has still not been returned to Kenyans who owned it before colonization. . It is still the former colonizers who own these lands today. So, have we really achieved our independence?
What was the reaction in Kenya to your film
?
We haven't yet screened
Grogan
's Lodge
in
Kenya, but the few Kenyans who have seen the film, for example those who supported us to come to the Clermont festival, they all said: "
Oh, we We didn't think about that before. This film is a good opportunity to start a discussion.
»
Also read: “Making dreams come true”, Clermont-Ferrand, the world capital of short films, opens its film festival
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