Nairobi-based journalist Bea Wangondu investigates exploitation tied to a multinational corporation that owns tea-leaf farms in the south-central highlands of Kenya, ancestral home of the Kikuyu people. In the early 1900s, large-scale land seizures by the British colonial government to make way for farms robbed Kikuyu families of their homes and generational wealth, leaving many to labor on land that was once theirs. Co-directed by Wangondu and Andrew H. Brown, the film traces the longstanding impact of colonialism on the tea industry, revealing a history of unforgiving conditions that persist today—long hours and arduous work, and cruelty and assaults in the fields. The film follows Wangondu’s intrepid attempts to speak with corporate leaders and government officials on the record, while workers and their families share their experiences. The poignant reflections of one young man vividly illustrate what it’s like for a child to grow up in such an exploitative system. In a dramatic turn, Wangondu discovers the role of her own family in this devastating cycle, leading to powerful personal confrontations. ST

Q&A following screening