''Watu Wote: All of Us'', or simply ''Watu Wote'' is a 2017 Kenyan-German,

live-action Live action (or live-action) is a form of cinematography or videography that uses photography instead of animation. Some works combine live-action with animation to create a live-action animated film. Live-action is used to define film, video ...

short film directed by Katja Benrath, as her graduation project at Hamburg Media School. The film is based on a December 2015 bus attack by Al-Shabaab in Mandera, Kenya. The film received critical acclaim, winning a

Student Academy Award The Student Academy Awards are presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in an annual competition for college and university filmmakers. Description The awards were originally named the Student Film Awards and were first ...

for Narrative, and received an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

nomination for

Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film The Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film is an award presented at the annual Academy Awards ceremony. The award has existed, under various names, since 1957. From 1936 until 1956 there were two separate awards, "Best Short Subject, One- ...

at the

90th Academy Awards The 90th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 2017, and took place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. The ceremony was held on March 4, ...

. Production faced difficulties when the crew's camera was stolen before filming had begun.

Plot

Jua, a Christian living in Kenya, boards a chartered bus to visit a relative and is uncomfortable being surrounded by Muslim passengers. The bus is stopped by the violent terrorist group Al-Shabaab, whose members demand that the Muslims identify the Christian passengers.

Cast

* Barkhad Abdirahman as Abdirashid Adan *

Faysal Ahmed Faysal Ahmed ( so, Faysal Axmed; born 11 July 1985) is a Somali Americans, Somali–American actor from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Early life Ahmed was born one of nine children in 1985 in Yemen. Although his family is originally from Somalia, he g ...

as Hassan Yaqub Ali (Al-Shabaab Leader) * Mahad Ahmed as Passenger * Abdiwali Farrah as Salah Farah * Charles Karumi as Issa Osman * Alex Khayo as GSU officer * Gerald Langiri as GSU officer * Justin Mirichii as James Ouma * Saada Mohammed as Astuhr * Douglas Muigai as GSU officer * Adelyne Wairimu as Jua

Reception

Critical reception

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website

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, the film holds an approval rating of 100% based on 9 reviews, with an average rating of 8.2/10.

Awards and nominations

* Nominated:

* Winner: (Gold Plaque)

for Best International Film School - Narrative *nominated for Best Live Action short film at the 90th Oscar awards.

References

External links

''Wote: All of Us''
at Hamburg Media School
Watu ''Wote: All of Us''
at Hamburg Film Festival * 2017 films 2010s German-language films Swahili-language films Somali-language films 2017 drama films 2017 short films Films set in 2016 German drama short films Kenyan drama films Kenyan short films 2010s German films {{Short-drama-film-stub