Last week, two multi-award-winning films, “Her Time is Now” and “NINA,” were presented in Garey Hall’s Blackbox Theater. These films were directed, produced, written, edited and marketed by Oak Tree Films, a student-run production organization in last year’s international social justice documentary course through the Communication Department.
Both productions were filmed in Siaya, Kenya, where Oak Tree Films traveled to for two weeks in October of 2022. During this time, the students experienced Kenyan society with the help of Dr. Irene Awino, a postdoctoral fellow at Villanova from Siaya. The filmmakers immersed themselves in the realities of life in Siaya, which included acquainting themselves with the kindhearted people of the village, as well as noticing the struggles that these individuals face on a daily basis. The team forged connections with members of the community, exploring their stories and noting central themes that emerged from their interviews as foundations for their two projects.
The first documentary, “Her Time is Now,” highlights the struggles women face in Siaya through the narration of two women. Specifically, as director Meg Martin explained during the screening, the three main pillars which underpin the challenges these women experience were patriarchy, religion and capitalism. All three of these concepts function to disempower Siayan women in interconnected ways. For example, families that face economic hardships encourage their daughters to find a man with money to provide them with many necessities, including sanitary products. Because of this relationship, levels of teenage pregnancy are high in Siaya, forcing the girls to drop out of school and take care of their children, oftentimes by themselves.
The second documentary, “NINA,” features life at the Nina School for the Deaf, a boarding school with 90 students and six teachers who use Kenyan Sign Language to communicate, teach and learn. The filmmakers interviewed a few members of the Nina School community, revealing their experiences. The school operates within an educational system that does not prioritize funding for schools for students with disabilities, often leaving teachers to work without pay for up to months at a time. Despite this, the teachers at the Nina School are motivated to continue working at this school due to the success they witness in their students and the unshakable sense of community that brings the institution to life.
The screening was a powerful way to share not only these films, but to share the issues they address with the Villanova community. Many students at Villanova found the films interesting and were touched by the inspirational messages that they communicated.
Junior Ava LaSasso was moved by the action that was prompted by the filmmakers through the documentaries.
“What struck me most about these films and the social justice documentary class as a whole is that, rather than to just raise awareness, the films are meant to inspire viewers to also become activists for social change,” she said. LaSasso was further impressed by the fact that “The students and professors continue the relationships built with the people and organizations [in Kenya] in order to directly support [the people of Siaya] long after the class is over.”
Sophomore Camryn Browne was also moved by the continuing relationships the students made with the community of Siaya.
“I thought it was really cool how the students noted how, through their partnership with Villanova Engineering, the Villanova community was able to provide tangible support for the Nina School by cementing the floors of the dormitory,” she said. “I think it was really important for the group to follow up with the people of Siaya in that way.”
The films can be purchased on the production group’s website, OakTreeFilms.com. During purchase, the viewer can make a donation. Donating to Oak Tree Films will further support their social initiatives, which revolve around providing long lasting solutions for the struggles faced by the people in Siaya.
