THE BATTLE OF THE SACRED TREE

Here is a delightful post-colonial comedy of errors, based on a short story by Barbara Kimenye. THE BATTLE OF THE SACRED TREE recounts the confrontation between the practitioners of African religions and the uptight proponents of post-missionary teachings. The focus of this idealogical tug-of-war is a fig tree, a seemingly simple specimen standing alone on a piece of land yet sacred in Kikuyu mythology. The tree is a powerful symbol for the local people, a fact not lost upon the Christian Women's Group that sees the tree as a remnant of the dark, superstitious and sinful past. Since their own men are drinking down at the bar, the self-righteous church women determine to chop down the tree by themselves. But first they have to go to the local medicine man and his high-spirited daughter. Inspired and inspiring. In English and Swahili with English subtitles. – G. Cahill, Mill Valley Film Festival