Kuishi Na Simba (Living With Lions) - 59min

Directed & produced by Erica Francis Rugabandana

Rugari the cattle herder, his wife Agnes, and their children Nyange and Machaba live in Robanda, one of thirty-eight small villages on the edge of Serengeti National Park. On the other side of the park border, two lionesses guide their cubs through a life of discovery and hardship on the Serengeti. No fences separate the two families.

When the great herd migrations pass through the Serengeti, the lion family enjoys a plentiful life. But when the dry season arrives and they are faced with starvation, they get desperate. Cows disappear from the village and the danger from lions is ever present for Rugari and his family. Regardless, his daughter Nyange is drawn to them.

Rugari is faced with a terrible decision. Livestock are his family’s only source of income, and he could protect his cattle by poisoning the lions. However, if he’s caught he will be sent to jail. Nyange insists there must be another way.

Shot on location in Tanzania with a local team, this film is a nuanced telling of what it means to live with lions.

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