T-Junction
T-Junction is a story of two girls and their communities. One community lacks formality but finds comfort in solidarity while the other lacks life but adheres to the structures of society. Fatima is a mixed Indian-African young adult who has just lost her estranged father to alcohol. She is unable to mourn his death because of the lack of presence he offered while he was alive. An invisible separation always existed between them. Her mother on the other hand does all she can to mourn as loyal wife should and condemns her daughter’s insolence towards the dead. Fatima has to make simultaneous trips to the hospital to ensure her mother gets the death certificate, a task that bewilders her since her father left no possessions of value for the family. At the hospital, power failures cause her to spend more time than intended and she makes an unlikely companion at the disease-ridden benches. Maria who is a patient at the hospital is about the same age as Fatima but their personalities are polar opposite. She sits on the benches whiling away her time by spying on the staff and twirling in her hospital gown while trying to capture the fluorescent rays from the tube lights in her palms. All this whilst being bundled up in blood clotted bandages across her head and arms.
Maria agrees to tell Fatima how she fell upon such disaster on one condition; she has to listen to the entire story. Knowing electricity won’t be coming back anytime soon, Fatima adheres. Then begins the tale of the T-junction. Through Maria’s great orating skills, Fatima meets Chine, Shabani, Arbogast, Mama Maria, Mangi, Bhabhi and many others who spend their time and make a living around the T-junction. In Maria’s story, Fatima finds love and rage, joy and sorrow, solace and loneliness. But the story never finishes and when Fatima goes home she finds her grieving mother who refuses to reconcile with the passing of her husband. Fatima cannot comprehend how her mother can mourn for a man who was barely present. In her impulsive insolence do we see how solitude engulfed Fatima’s life and attachment was never an option for her. Fatima returns to hear the rest of Maria’s story under the guise of obtaining the death certificate. Their relationship strengthens over the three days as they travel over peaks and valleys in Maria’s story. Maria resuscitates life in Fatima’s mundane life through her tale as Fatima becomes part of the T-Junction.
T-Junction | 2017
T-Junction is Amil Shivji's directorial feature debut opened at the Zanzibar International Film Festival on July 8th 2017. The film features a largely new cast from Tanzania.
Awards.
Official Selection Kew Gardens Festival of Cinema 2018 (New York, USA)
WINNER Best Cinematography FESTICAB 2018 (Burundi)
Official selection African Film Trinidad & Tobago 2018
WINNER Best African Feature Fiction 4th Mashariki African Film Festival 2018 (Rwanda)
Official selection Texas African Film Festival 2018 (USA)
Official selection 14th AfryKamera African Film Festival Warsaw 2019 (Poland)
Official selection 15th Festival International du Film Pan-Africain de Cannes 2018
Official selection Motion Pictures International Film Festival 2018 (Calgary, Canada)
Official selection 10th Galway African Film Festival 2018 (Ireland)
Official selection 14th New African Film Festival 2018 (Washington, USA)
Official selection 42nd Atlanta Film Festival 2018 (USA)
Official selection 7thLuxor African Film Festival 2018 (Egypt)
Official selection Cine Femme Film Festival 2018 (Rwanda)
WINNER Best Feature Film 20th Zanzibar International Film Festival 2017
WINNER Best Actress Film 20th Zanzibar International Film Festival 2017
WINNER European African Film Festivals Award (20th Zanzibar Int’nl Film Festival 2017)
WINNER Best African Feature 19th Zimbabwean International Film Festival Trust 2017
WINNER Best Actress 4th Udada Women’s International Film Festival 2017 (Kenya)
WINNER Best Cinematography 4th Udada Women’s International Film Festival 2017 (Kenya)
Official selection 8th Silicon Valley African Film Festival 2017 (USA)
Official selection Africa In Motion Film Festival 2017 (Edinburgh)
Official selection Verona Africa Film Festival 2017 (Italy)
Official selection Afrika Film Festival 2017 (Belgium)
Official selection Cinemafrica 2018 (Bologna, Italy)
Official selection 8th AFRIFF (Nigeria)
Official selection 21st African Film Festival Khouribga Morocco
Nominated at SOTIGUI Awards FESPACO 2018 – Best Actor in East Africa – Hawa Ally
Nominated Best Screenplay Motion Pictures International Film Festival 2018
WINNER Best Cinematography Motion Pictures International Film Festival 2018
Nominated Best Editing Motion Pictures International Film Festival 2018
Nominated Best Performance by an Actor Motion Pictures International Film Festival 2018
Official selection Cape Town International Film Market and Festival 2018
Nominated at Kew Gardens Festival of Cinema 2018 – Best Cinematography
Nominated at Kew Gardens Festival of Cinema 2018 – Best Feature Narrative
Nominated at Kew Gardens Festival of Cinema 2018 – Best Actress – Hawa Ally
Nominated at Kew Gardens Festival of Cinema 2018 – Best Actress – Magdalena Christopher
Nominated at Kew Gardens Festival of Cinema 2018 – Best Director
Nominated at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards 2018 – Best Cinematography
Nominated at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards 2018 – Best Indigenous Film Swahili
Official Selection 5th Mozambique African Film Week 2019
WINNER Best Feature film JAMAAFEST 2019 (East Africa)
Official Selection Ecran Noirs Film Festival 2019
Nominated Golden Impala for Best Feature Film Amakula International Film Festival (Uganda)
WINNER Best Director at the Sinema Zetu International Film Festival 2019 (Tanzania)
WINNER Best Editing at the Sinema Zetu International Film Festival 2019 (Tanzania)
WINNER Best Cinematography at the Sinema Zetu International Film Festival 2019 (Tanzania)
Nominated Best Screenplay at the Sinema Zetu International Film Festival 2019 (Tanzania)
Nominated Best Original Music at the Sinema Zetu International Film Festival 2019 (Tanzania)
Official selection Long Feature at FESPACO 2019 (Burkina Faso)
Nominated at the Jaipur International Film Festival 2019 (India)
Official selection CinemaAfrica Festival 2018 (Beyreuth, Germany)
Nominated Best Feature Film at Rwanda International Movie Awards 2020
Credits.
Writer & Director – Amil Shivji
Assistant Director – Cece Mlay
Second Assistant Director – Modesta Kuzenzia
Third Assistant Director – Neema Mlay
Unit Production Manager – Wilson Rumisha
Production Manager – Digna Kimario
Production Assistant – Said Wenje
Director of Photography – Lester Milado
Assistant Camera – Jerry Mushala
Second Assistant Camera – Khery Mkali
DIT – John Nsunza
Key Grip – Emmanuel Mwagomba
Gaffer – Rajab Mohamed
Grip – Adbul Wakili
Grip – Akida Athumani
Grip – Leo Mdaki
Sound Technician – David Jalenga
Boom Operators – Hassan Shemtanduo
Boom Operators – Emmanuel Mtui
Sound Mix – Tim Pringle
Music Composer – Matt Nicholson
Continuity – Florence Mkinga
Assistant Continuity – Sabrina Nassoro
Special Effects Make-Up – ShutkaFx
Casting Director – Godliver Gordian
Costume Design – Agatha Malle
Assistant Wardrobe Stylist – Kelvin Mhegele
Production Designer – Eliudi Dominic
Assistant Art Director – Said Nyoni
Assistant Art Director – Rehema Yusuph
Props Master – Kifua Campound
Camera BTS – Lusubilo Mwanguru
Stills – Hussein Sefu
Stills & Colorist – Nicholas Calvin
Editor – Kelvin Mpeta
Assistant Editor – Momose Cheyo
Assistant Editor – Cecilia Katagira
CAST – MAIN
“Fatima” – Hawa Ally
“Maria” – Magdalena Christopher
CAST – SECONDARY
“Iddi” – Cojack Chilo
“Mussa” – Aloyce Fungafunga
“Mama Maria” – Sabrina Khumba
“Commando” – Juma Madenge
“Mangi” – Mzome Mahmoud
“Arbo” Meshack Moses
“Chine” – David Msia
“Shabani” – Martin White
“Bhabi” Marzia Jaffer