“From ‘Waving Flag’ to the Big Screen: K’naan Makes a Bold Filmmaking Debut with ”Mother Mother”.

K’naan captured global attention with the unforgettable anthem “Waving Flag,” which became an unofficial anthem for the 2010 South Africa World Cup. Since then, the artist has largely stepped away from the limelight. Speaking from his New York apartment, K’naan reveals he’s been pursuing new adventures, including music, although his relationship with the music industry has changed. He admits to having two albums’ worth of material but says his focus has shifted.

In a 2012 New York Times op-ed following the release of his third album, Country, God or The Girl, K’naan discussed the struggle of balancing his music’s authenticity with the pressure for mainstream success in America. Ultimately, he concluded that while he could adjust his music, he couldn’t escape his true identity. Reflecting on the current state of the music industry, he explains, “I don’t have the energy to release music like I used to. The atmosphere around music feels different now.”

K’naan’s creative energy has been redirected toward filmmaking, a passion he’s had since his childhood in Mogadishu. “I’ve always loved cinema. I used to sneak into movie theaters as a kid in Somalia. Before COVID-19, I went to the theater four times a week for a decade. I truly love movies,” he shares.

This love has now culminated in his first feature film, Mother Mother, which he wrote and directed. The film, set to screen at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2024, follows the story of a mother who must decide the fate of her son’s killer. K’naan says the inspiration came from a personal experience in 2020 when his aunt was dying. His mother and another aunt were at odds over whether to pursue life-extending surgeries, ultimately leaving the final decision to K’naan. This experience sparked the initial idea for the film. “It made me think, ‘How do I put a challenge on a character as agonizing as the one I faced?’”

K’naan began writing the story in October 2020, and filming started in September 2023. The movie was primarily shot in Northern Kenya, with some scenes filmed in Somalia. K’naan found the filmmaking process similar to storytelling. “It was about uniting a group around a shared story. That’s something I know how to do. But I also had incredible collaborators who helped bring the vision to life.”

The casting process was particularly challenging. K’naan insisted on casting Somali speakers, leading them to Alexa Flogel, a casting director known for her work on Oz and The Wire. The lead, Maan Youssouf Ahmed, is a Somali woman living in Nairobi who had never acted before. “She’s phenomenal. I think people will be surprised by her performance,” K’naan says.

While the performances shine, it’s the writing that truly stands out. In one scene, the grieving mother, Qalifo, when asked about her son’s killer, states she doesn’t want him dead, but wants him to take on the tasks her son used to do. “I was interested in exploring how we live with things we can’t change. A young man killing someone isn’t new, but I wanted to focus on how those left behind must carry that burden,” K’naan explains.

The film’s editorial decisions are equally noteworthy. For example, the murder isn’t shown—only its aftermath. K’naan also shared some on-set challenges, including unexpected torrential rain that transformed the barren landscape where they were filming into lush greenery. While this disrupted the production, K’naan jokes, “We were happy for the locals who got the rain they prayed for, but it messed up my movie.”

SOURCE:Okayafrica