Tales of the Accidental City by Maïmouna Jallow: Film Screening + Q&A

Join a live streamed screening of Tales of the Accidental City, followed by a Q&A with its director and actress, Maïmouna Jallow, in conversation with Dr Estrella Sendra.

Tales of the Accidental City is the story of four Nairobi residents who find themselves stuck together in an anger management class after being accused by the courts of various misdemeanors. Diana, Jacinda, Louis Njoroge, and Sarah Obama must explain what got them there, and with the help of their quirky counsellor, find a way to heal their wounds. The play is a portrait of Nairobi, but also tells the story of many African cities challenged by population growth, economic inequality and social injustice.Through the characters, we are invited to explore Nairobi 120 years after its 'creation'. Through this portrait of Nairobi, the play tells the story of many African cities challenged by population growth, economic disparities and social injustice.

About the director and actress: Maïmouna Jallow is the co-founder and director of Nairobi-based arts and media company Positively African. She is a storyteller, editor, playwright and director, and has written and produced a range of shows, including an award-winning adaptation of Lola Shoneyin’s The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives, which she toured internationally. In 2021 she released her debut film, Tales of the Accidental City, an experimental feature-length in which all the action takes place on Zoom. She is the editor of Story Story, Story Come – An anthology of 12 African Folktales, published in Dec. 2018. Prior to that, Maimouna worked as a producer for the BBC World Service and as Regional Communications Officer for Medécins Sans Frontières (MSF) in the Horn of Africa region. Maïmouna sits on the advisory boards of This is Africa and Wiriko. She holds an MA in African Literature from SOAS, University of London.

This event is hosted by the research group iPIC (Intersectionalities - Politics - Identites - Cultures) in the University of Southampton, in collaboration with the MA Global Media Management Programme 'Activism and Resilience' programme. The iPIC research group is concerned with the investigation of cultures, identities and politics from non-traditional perspectives and with an emphasis on positionality.

Further information can be found on the University of Southampton Black History Month website . Free tickets can be booked via Eventbrite .