Films start necessary conversations: Albert Josiah living in the UK using film for social activism

Albert Josiah, the General Manager of Film Studios Kenya, talks about life in the UK, using film for social activism, partnership and family

How did it feel to be the first Kenyan accepted into London Film School?

Getting in was a trip! I still find it kind of unbelievable even now. LFS is the oldest ‘Film By Practice’ institution in the world. Before I applied, I had been shooting a while and I felt like I wasn’t growing. I knew it was a long shot, I had no clue how I was planning to get it done. My parents helped me a lot. It would have been impossible without their support and encouragement. The best way to learn a language is to immerse yourself in it and Film is a language. LFS allowed me to totally get immersed in the entire process.

So a Kenyan filmmaker living in London....

For a filmmaker, I think London is one of the best cities in the world to be in. For two years, I had the opportunity to steep myself in the art and process of filmmaking. London really lends itself to that because it is heavily multicultural and the city itself has a lot to offer from Museums to Cinemas to Festivals. London allowed me to define what being an ‘African Filmmaker’ means to me; because I had the opportunity to hear all these unique voices and find both commonality and difference. At the same time it can be a terrifying, lonely city. I am eternally grateful for the amazing friendships I made, and that I had the great fortune of travelling with my wife (Delphine Wairimu Karumba-Josiah, also a filmmaker)

What were the pros and cons of working/studying in London?

Access. London offers you access to gear, state-of-the-art facilities, skilled crew, and to amazing opportunities. But access comes at a price. It is a remarkably expensive city to live in, and you can very easily wind up chasing your tail, earning just enough money to head out and work some more. The older you get, the harder it is to compete in a city like that. It moves fast, and you have to keep up or be swept away by the tide. London will chew up your youth and spit you out old and tired. The work ethic, drive and discipline and the contacts though, last a lifetime. If you can make it in London you can make it pretty much anywhere. It is a great training ground for a career in this business, and some of the best have cut their teeth in London.

What was it like living away from your children?

I don’t think that there is anything that prepares you for the shocking ache of being parted from your children. I think that Delphine (my wife) and I processed things differently. I travelled first, so I didn’t have a lot of time to be homesick, I was too busy suffering from extreme culture shock. Delphine had a tougher time, I think, because she was the last one to leave the kids and they were clearer on what was happening. My parents-in-law made it possible. They stepped into the gap and stood in for us. We couldn’t have accomplished what we have if they hadn’t made that sacrifice for us. The one thing we knew was that we were going to go to school, and we were coming right back. I wish I could say there was a ‘bigger picture’ at that point; it would sound profound. But the truth is we walked by faith and broke our journey down into steps. We just took it one day at a time.

You and your wife have always challenged the status quo; in what other ways apart from being filmmakers have you done that?

I am not really an authority on ‘traditional’ relationships. It isn’t something that we set out to do. What I am is an involved parent: I changed my daughter’s diapers, I cuddled them to sleep, I cook, I clean — I am a 50:50 partner in this enterprise. We treasure individuality and spirit, and that shows in how we live and what we try to instill in our children. We chose non-traditional careers that come with an unorthodox life style; so we make rules that suit us.

Would you consider relocating permanently outside of Kenya?

The first rule for me if you are to make it in this business: say yes. The opportunities for filmmakers are worldwide, and if you are stuck to one place, the likelihood is that you will be left out. It gets harder when you have kids -- the trips don’t always land at the most convenient times. We lean heavily on family to help us manage, and that would probably be the biggest reason behind why I would be reluctant to relocate: family.

What is the most profound thing fatherhood has taught you?

Everything about fatherhood is profound. I am without a shadow of a doubt a better person for having had children. I am 100 per cent certain that I do not live for me, but for my kids. I hope my daughters find careers that they will be passionately, madly in love with. I love what I do, and that makes it easy for me to soldier through the parts of it that I may not enjoy as much. I would really like the same for them.

What is your most memorable moment in marriage so far?

My wife would want me to say that every moment of our marriage has been memorable, so that is my official statement. Watching my wife graduate as the first African woman to earn a degree in Cinematography from Met Film School has to be right up there for me, though. It was a long journey, and it took a lot of sacrifice on both our parts, so that for me really was a big win for both of us and I will remember it fondly for a very long time.

Your advice to the young upcoming filmmaker?

Before you get saddled with responsibilities of adulthood, travel. Before you settle down, you have a window to collect stories and characters that you will add to your works as you go along. Develop your own unique vantage point by taking the time to look around you.

You said before that you consider yourself an activist. Tell us about using art or film as a driver for social change or justice.

Art is Activism. It is impossible to separate the two, in my eyes. Art reflects society, and society apes art. Film has a very crucial part to play in the national dialogue about identity and values. Very often films will speak to a part of society that society itself may be unwilling to voice.

What efforts are you making in a bid to shift the art of filmmaking in Kenya?

Film is an organic thing. My efforts alone are not enough to make a lasting impact on the industry. Film is a collaborative process, the more people you collaborate with, the more you learn and grow. That is why my approach is partnership. By tapping into the vast and rich creative resource that exists in this country and creating opportunities for new and refreshing voices to add their thoughts to the dialogue, I think we can create a spark that will become an inferno.

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