Africa News
Buddha in Africa – Showmax
A Malawian teenager finds himself torn between his African roots and Chinese upbringing.
In a Chinese Buddhist orphanage in Africa, a Malawian teenager finds himself torn between his African roots and Chinese upbringing. Once the star performer with dreams of becoming a martial arts hero like Jet Li, Enock is now in his final year of school and has to make some tough decisions about his future. Will he return to his relatives in his home village or study abroad in Taiwan?
Set against China’s expanding influence on the continent, Buddha in Africa provides insight into the impact of cultural soft power on the identity and imagination of an African boy and his school friends growing up between two cultures.
Directed by South African Nicole Schafer, Buddha in Africa won Best South African Documentary at this year’s Durban International Film Festival, was the opening night film at Encounters, and screened at HotDocs. It’s currently screening to sold-out audiences at IDFA, arguably the world’s top documentary festival, as part of their prestigious Best Of Fests line-up.
The film is available to stream now on Showmax.
