 He saw it, he's the current director of Bufi's movie, he saw it and then he laughed and then he's like, please, can you come? That was it? Ya, that was it. So when I came, I was still doing my business, so you know, part time I got there with them. I realized that they were so down, I wanna take it to, you know, actors are coming there, and they knew what was Mishikana and they don't have, you know, I wanna place a kukula lunch, I wanna transport. So I came to boost them, I came to provide transport to them, party lunch, you know. Then I took over Somali Act. So what is it for Somalis community in the film in Kenya? What is the state of Somalis film in Kenya? Well, Somali films in Kenya, first of all, Somalis have a lot of stories to tell. Somali are just from civil war and when they came to Kenya, they are just too much religious into them, you get me? So coming out and doing such kind of movies or short films, it wasn't easy for Somalis, it's not easier. Even me, I had a backlash from my family, people calling my wife, my wife telling my wife that let husband stop these things because it's not in our community for him to do such skits. So Somalis actors are there, you get me? Everyone is an actor in Somalia, I mean. That's why if you see now the Tik Tok, everybody came out to showcase their talent. What is it hard for Somalis to break through in the film industry? Is it the cultural belief? Is it the religion? Is it the opportunities? Well, I can say like I said earlier, we come from a community whereby the religion is the first thing, right? And then it's kind of like holding us back, not to come and do such movies and theatres. So as the world changes, so we end up finding ourselves that we have a lot of stories to tell, so we need to do the Tik Tok. Because Somali communities have rich stories to tell, from the terror attacks, from the business, from now what we are about to talk about, now the buffies. Maybe most Kenyans and most people don't understand maybe Somali community. Maybe you can tell us, you need a position to tell us now. When you come across a word, Somali, what comes in mind when people think about Somali? Well, when you mention the name Somali, what really comes to people's mind is they are terrorists, they are Muslims. So when we came up with this plan of having Somali React, when I came to change the narrative of Somali React, we wanted, okay, we got a slogan, we tell our own story. So we said, okay, every movie is coming out, it's about terrorism. We have seen movies that Somali shot, international movies, it's about terrorism. We need to change this narrative of people putting us in a picture like we are all terrorists, you get me? So we ended up doing what we call small skits, which are comedy, to show the world that we are also comedians, to show the world that we are also drama people. So we started doing drama and comedy as well in Somali React. And as we speak, my YouTube channel has 44 million views. So then people started saying, oh, wow, I see Somali actors, they started contacting us, including before Bufizu, this movie called Ayale. I don't know if you have watched it. I've heard it. Yes, there was this Ayale. This guy, the director, he contacted us from then Makadono, Netherlands. Yeah, you guys are doing wonderful jobs, so I really want to work with you, so I'm coming with a movie, so I need you. So what is the opportunity now? You getting to work with international directors. Did it help you maybe the Somali creatives in Nairobi specifically? Yeah, it's helping me now because you get me. We Somalis, like I said, we have a lot of stories to say and we have a lot of stories to tell. And you find that when we have these stories, we need to show, to show outside world. So when they see these stories we have, definitely they'll come to do this movie with us. You get me? Yes. And then there's that language barrier. So I'm taking that advantage. Although my Somali is not good also, so I'm taking advantage. Let's say, like Bufizu, when the director came, he went to work with Somalis. So how is he going to communicate with Somalis? So we have in between there Somali Kenyans and we can speak little Somali and also English. So in that case, actually it boosted our roles in the film industry like me as a casting director as well and the casting. Opportunity came to you. Bufizu was short mostly in Nairobi. You were given roles as the casting director for this amazing movie. Take us through what is all about Bufizu movie. You role as a casting director. Well, Bufizu is a Somali word. It means daydreamer. And it's in every Somali community. Everyone in Somali has that dream of going abroad. When the civil war started in Somalia, they all came to Kenya and then they find Kenya is a different world from where Somali is. And then they came as refugees and then they started wanting to go abroad. So the first wave that went to USA, they started sending good pictures of them living a good life in USA and everyone back home started having that dream. Oh, I still also need to go and join those people. And then when we sit down, we met with Vinchenzo, the director, the co-director of the Bufizu. It was me and Mahad and my team from Somali React. We met at the premiere of Watuoten movie. And then we sit down with him and then he told us, guys, we have seen this movie. It's about Somalis, yes. And come on, man. I need you to come with a very interesting story. We told him, okay, we have a story called Bufizu. So we sit down with him, we bring storm. We shared ideas together. And then boom, after few months we came up with this script. How did you end up trusting the director? Because I can't value art, I can't measure art. With your rich story, sharing it with someone else, you can easily go somewhere else, cast someone, produce the content. Where do you believe in him? First of all, we Somalis believe in doing things without signing any contract. They get me. So we just check hands and we say, boom, we are done. If you see a Somali checking hand, that's already they have signed a contract. It's like they have signed a contract. So we sit down with him, so we had this Nairobi bus and then we'd be coming to his office and we said, oh, this guy has an office here, so let's work with him. So we'd be going to him every week, sitting down under this bus, coming up with the story, like this, like this. And then he said, now it's the time now I need to go to look for the funds. And then he came to me and then he's like, can you bless the script? So I bless the script and I kissed it. The following day he said, wow, they approved the budget. Then yeah, that's how we Somalis work. We work based on trust. All right now, of course the book is from, it's an idea, it was just a story. We come to reality, actually on actualization of the movie. Maybe take us through now your role as a casting director. Make sure you have the perfect cast for the role, executing the idea, the concept coming to reality. Well, first of all, when we sat down in our brainstorming, what we call the script, the first priority was to be given as the main cast. And then both directors, they sit down, they are like, do you think Thol can manage it because his Somali is not as good as maybe, and then the other director said, his Somali is not good, but we can still look for a good Somali, speak. Then they look for this guy. First of all, before they look for him, we did audition, so everyone came. So everyone came, so those who performed well, we selected them, and then we had, what we call, we had, there are some also perfected during the audition, but they didn't manage to be casted. Why? Because we told our people, our people are not serious, especially in keeping time. We told them, please, this film, this movie, there is a white man, so we don't want him to feel like Somalis are lazy Somalis are like this. So kindly please, keep time. The following day, this lady she was supposed to come at 10 for the rehearsal, she came at 4pm. She looked at her like this. Just go, don't come back. That was it? And she was one of the best. She's the best actor actually. This is a discipline issue. Now, I wanted to understand now, how did you reach out the message for the casting, then maybe what qualities were you looking into during the audition process? Well, we used our platform Somali React, we also used our Facebook, we also used Tell a Friend, Tell a Friend, and then it reached to many Somalis, and a lot of people came for the interview. And yeah, and then the work booth is, when people saw booths, people definitely thought, oh, maybe I'm going to America. So everyone came. So everyone came. So we selected those, performed well, and then we started shooting the movie. So the challenge that I had was, you see, we were in the middle, okay, remember the first scenes we did in Muzaiga, and then we were shooting for five days in a house, I think belonged to a Muzungo run Indian, I don't know. It looked like a colonial house. So the fourth day, day four, the main character said, I don't want. Why? I want my money to be raised. You guys are making money with this. You are using us. Then we were like, see, you signed the contract. What's going on? They don't know about the contract. He never read everything. He just signed, signed, signed. Muzaiga pesa. Then I sit down with him, and then I told him, please listen. Every day we come here around four a.m. You get me? Yes. Look at that small girl. She's like eight-year-old, right? Yes. Her mother depends on this girl. You get me? This girl, she's supposed to be in school. But why did we bring her here? Because her mother also, she depends on this kid. So if you want us to add you money, it's not going to happen. And we are saying, I'm not going to act anymore with you guys. Meaning that we are going to to cancel everything. And this baby will go hungry. So please, don't look at yourself. Look at this baby. Look at me like this. Okay, fine. Let's go. Day five. Another supporting character. He's at home. He's like, I'm not coming. Why? You guys are mistreating us. You are using us. You are making money with this movie, through us. But you signed the contract, bro. Just come. No, no, no. I'm not coming. So the white manzade, the Italian guy, Cavallo. Okay, let's meet in court. It's like, yeah, okay, we meet in court. And make sure if you go, we go to court, we are going to win. And you're going to pay the money that, you know. Yes. It's like, okay, I have money. Then we had to beg him. He came back. And yeah, those are the challenges. Just understand this. Why are they difficult, maybe? Is it Somali characters? Is it us Africans we normally want to, you know, create crisis? Well, especially dealing with my people, Somali is very hard. You know, we, I can say mostly they are illiterate. And I also, I said, these are not the real actors. They are not professional. Yes. Now, through the scenes, maybe you can share with us, maybe the highlights, the most interesting part, the most interesting scene maybe. And now you walk with the new fresh cast. What is the game change for them now? What is next for them? Well, there are many interesting scenes that we made together with them. Yeah. We made together with them. We made together with them. We made together with them. We made together with them. I remember this scene that the guy come to his wife and the wife she is lying on a bathtub. And then, we made some smoke. And then the lady she is taking. And then the husband is pouring flowers on her. That was the romantic scene of which Somalis, we are not into it. We are not romantic actually. It's like kujah, boom. So that scene, it made me like, oh my God, we can show the world that we are also romantic people. Somalis are romantic. Yes. What is the future of the Somali cast, our actors in the Kenyan film industry? Because I don't think they get maybe, well, they don't get that enough recognition, maybe opportunities? Well, since then, there are a lot of Somali movies that came up, being shot by production maybe from outside Kenya. And it's kind of like a big opportunity for Somali people. There was this movie that I don't know, they were doing an audition and then they wanted to shoot in Hargeisa. And then they realized that oh, we don't have to go there because we don't know Kenyan is the best place to shoot the movie. So that's how they decided to do and using the Kenyan Somali actors. The challenges are also there. There's another movie that I also attended, the audition. The story about the movie is called Escape from Mogadishu. I don't know if you have watched it. Escape from Mogadishu. So I auditioned as a minister of Foreign Affairs of Somalia by then, the story of 1980s. And they said we are going to shoot this story in Casablanca, in Morocco, because the place look like Somali by then. Then all of a sudden, the movie was shot, none of the cast are Somalis. The movie is about Somalis. So I'm still wondering why, what happened? I'm here to find the answer. Maybe you was an actor, maybe a Somali actor. This is a lot happening. You guys may be missing out on information. You've mentioned earlier, most of Somali actors maybe they're not professional. Of course, they're not exposed to this film world. What do you feel like now? What need to be done? Do you guys need to come together, maybe in union, like more of an actor's guild? What are you guys planning now to change maybe to attract international directors, producers? Well, first of all Somali is a big audience, has a big audience. You find everyone now is a YouTuber and whenever they post their things, it's kind of like they're getting more views. People are wondering how can such video has so we can like I tried to talk to other YouTubers. Ask them to add more actors on their YouTube, at least to be, by the time we want to shoot a movie we know we can go for these YouTubers, they have professional actors. That's how we are working with closely with other Somali actors. And also from my YouTube channel now, I'm changing the face. I'm trying to add more actors so I need to do audition very soon and I need to start shooting series in my YouTube. I want to ask this because Somali most people let them with the terror attacks because people don't get to realize maybe to sit down, actualize and then when people think about maybe a movie that involves terror attacks they think about Somali. I don't think Somali can only deliver those kinds of movie. Of course as an actor you can do any role. I don't know what is the plan now to maybe to change the narrative because see most of people want to cast you in relation to terror attacks and all such things. So like you said every movie in Somali is about terror attack. It's about terrorism. Bufis has opened a door. Bufis has opened the door and whereby we are if you watch a Bufis movie it's nothing to do with terrorism and wherever. So it's like we are opening the door to Somali content creators that we can do not only we do about terrorism we can tell our own stories. Now what is next for Bufis now? Are there maybe awards nominations maybe? Well I'm just from Poland I attended the Warsaw International Film Festival Bufis was one of the movies that screened there and yeah we didn't win although we didn't win anything but we hope inshallah we hoping maybe we will go for the Red Sea International Film Festival and we hope inshallah we come up with something. What is the feeling now maybe to attain to be recognized with the nominations? Come again? How do you feel now when people now recognize you the Bufis film with the nominations you get are getting? Well how people are recognized me? The film in general. There is no appreciation the film the people nominate the film for awards is film awards. Yeah first of all I want to say I didn't expect that I can reach this far whereby our movies stories whereby we are the one who wrote it and then it goes for festivals not even in Kenya it goes for international festivals we are hoping this movie according to those people who watched I am hoping inshallah we are going to get awards we are going to win awards with this movie inshallah Local maybe recognition? Yes local and international I guess What is next now for you as a casting director? Well the next for me I am trying to write another story very interesting story of me it happened to me and I shared with the director and then it was like wow I need this story so I am still you know I just started writing the script so I will sit with him and then we brainstorm it Maybe local producers and local filmmakers in Kenya maybe they are watching this interview maybe they want to walk with you maybe they want to tap in the Somali community stories and then how can you guys maybe walk together because I believe there is a lot that is happening in Sli it can run in our local TV station Well like I said Somali has a lot of story to tell so I am inviting everyone who want maybe to come and walk with the Somali content in filmmaking I am welcoming you you can find me I am on Facebook you can find me on Instagram still Abderazak tool you can find me on TikTok travel with tool because I am on travel also you can find me on my youtube channel Somali react Alright thank you so much for speaking to us maybe for the whole crew for the whole amazing cast a message to them from the directors the casting directors all the crew maybe a message to them Well first of all I would like to thank everyone who participated in the boofies you did a very wonderful job you made work easier for me actually we intended to shoot the boofies for 35 days and we did it at a single day one day? yes we did it at a single day you get me? so we shot 35 days and they all make work easier for me and yeah what I can say thank you so much so if I'll be maybe I'll have another movie to shoot still I can work with them Alright thank you so much Abderazak tool for speaking to us hopefully we'll see you in the future hopefully boofies film will get more recognition more awards more nomination and we open all is here to support and then to the film Somali cast crew in Kenya we want to wish them all the best hope to see you next time thanks for watching SPM bars my good name is Silvakido one of the casting directors at boofies film maybe you want to talk to us about boofies well when you talk to us about boofies I think today is the last day no it has been aired from all the cinemas in Nairobi and let's wait inshallah next year January the boofies will be on Netflix not only in Kenya but worldwide inshallah thank you