Bongo

www.bongothefilm.com

Feature length documentary

From the streets of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, comes a film about opportunity. Bongo, from the Swahili word for "brain", represents the cunning resourcefulness that it takes to survive on the streets of Dar es Salaam and, for that, the city takes its nickname. From these streets came a movement that has taken the music industry by storm and has created a new voice for the younger generation that is being heard by millions. They call this music Bongo Flava. For the msela, the young street hustlers in Dar, Bongo Flava is an identity. As a major force in mainstream media, success stories of youth who 'made it big' as hip hop artists straight off the streets have become a source of inspiration for a generation of youth hoping to catch a similar break.

That break came for a group of msela when Urban Project, an unconventional charity, stepped in and told them that they were going to have an opportunity to record an album of their hip hop. Suddenly, they were tasked with the responsibility to find a studio, seek out a willing producer, and write and record an album. Not only that, they were presented with a chance to improve their lives for the better. The story lies in how they responded to these expectations and whether they were able to live up to them.

Over the course of six weeks, dramatic power shifts occurred as the group realized that the hierarchy on the streets didn't translate into the recording studio. Close friendships were stretched to breaking points, and an unlikely member of the group proved to be a diamond in the rough.

In development with Knowledge Network.

• Directors: Leah Nelson and Jay Grandin
• Producer: Leah Mallen