Reframing Africa: A Conversation with Toni Tei and Neil Sandoz on Stories of Hope from Kibera 

Many rich stories about Africa are either untold or underreported. Part of the problem is that these stories often do not get enough attention or support to reach where they should. The stories might become diluted long before they reach the main stage. Even so, there is almost always a one-sided focus on poverty and disillusionment, creating a disconnection between the real people, their environment, and the facts that shape their lives. Nonetheless, filmmakers have made sincere attempts to document recent laudable African experiences. Mira Nair’s Queen of Katwe (2016) highlights the transformative potential of grassroots sports through the life of Phiona Mjutesi, a chess prodigy who rises from the Katwe slum in Uganda to become an international asset. Chiwetel Ejiofor’s The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind (2019) emphasizes the power of innovative thinking and determination through the true-life account of William Kamkwamba, a Malawian boy who uses the limited local resources at his disposal to build a windmill and save his village from famine. Both international films offer intimate yet profoundly optimistic versions of modern developments in Africa. 

This same force of emotional honesty and optimism piques the interest of Kenyan producer Tony Tei and American director Neil Sandoz, who portray Kibera (also “Kibra”), a local neighborhood and slum in Nairobi, in a unique light, focusing on sports as a tool for development there.  Kibera, with its population of over two hundred thousand residents, has long maintained an unsavoury reputation of high poverty rate, crime and moral decadence. However, for Tony and Neil, this “popular” view is, to quote celebrated Nigerian writer Chimamanda Adichie, “a single story”, that does a disservice to her recent social developments. Their documentary, Open Your Eyes, recognizes this disservice and remedies it. Set against the backdrop of CTM Kenya’s sports development initiative,  the documentary traces the introduction of basketball in the community and how it becomes a means of rehabilitating and empowering the youth.

This interview with Tei and Sandoz takes us through the process of making Open Your Eyes, not without reflecting on the motivations behind it and capturing the filmmakers’ perspectives around storytelling in Africa. Though adjusted for clarity, it maintains a highly conversational tone, aiming to retain the speech patterns and emotional nuances of the original virtual discussion, mirroring the documentary that inspired it.

What inspired your decision to pursue this project, and why did you choose the documentary format as your approach to storytelling?

Tony Tei: When we started working on this project, we had many conversations. Every time the project came up, each small piece of advice or observation turned into a deep conversation, and those discussions kept evolving. The heart of the story comes from this, and maybe even from my own background. I wanted to make sure that African stories are told in the full richness and color they deserve. If you look outside your window, even just a few feet away, everything is vibrant and alive. The colors, the heritage, the growth, the development, and the evolution are all there. That is how I see my people. That is how I see Africa. Our stories need to have their own weight and strength to move forward. People should be seen for who they really are, not through the false and limited images that other parts of the world often project onto them.

Neil Sandoz: Yeah, Tony has made a point. All too often, we see such a negative portrayal of communities such as Kibra. That was why we wanted a diverse group of people working on this project to make sure we were honoring the community.  Beyond that, producing this documentary was a personal journey for me. As a basketball player and fan, I started playing basketball with the guys in this community about three or four years ago. In the first year of playing with them, I was already filled with stories about the power of basketball in the community and the community. I saw firsthand the inclusion it brought, and was even a recipient as a foreigner. It gave me a safe place to be despite the differences. So, I wanted to also share a story that was not only true and meaningful for Kibera and the surrounding community there, but also for Kenyans, other Africans, and global citizens. I was connected with these guys and girls through the game of basketball, but then I realized the truth in their story and thought this needed to be told.

Your documentary opens with testimonies that reflect on daily life in Kibra, including some personal and emotional stories, such as the story of the talented young man whose promising basketball future was cut short because of his involvement in drugs. The narrative later shifts to the introduction of new basketball courts in 2014, a moment that marks a significant change in the community as young people begin to rebuild their lives. Given the progression of the story, how did you develop the structure and format of the documentary?

Neil Sandoz: We had a lot of footage, many stories, and hours of interviews. We knew we wanted a narrative with a clear story arc. One thing that helped, which you see a lot in narrative work, is what I call a story clock. You move through a narrative starting at the top at 12, using things that are fundamental and developmental. Then four, five, six move the story along, seven, eight, nine solve other questions, and it brings you back around. But when you come back around, you see the same subject with new eyes. We started with challenges up front, and as we moved around the clock, we ended up again with challenges. In the beginning, people talk about how hard things are. You can feel the weight on their shoulders. Some even say it feels like a weight. We get glimpses of life without that weight, and at the end, when they talk about challenges, even their facial expressions have changed. They say the challenges make their dreams more beautiful. That is the monologue at the end with the coach. It is the dream realized. We wanted to bring it back to challenges. Tony has a good look at the story wheel. If you research the story clock, many opposite points correlate. For example, avoiding pain correlates directly, and to avoid pain, you want to see a change in your community. We do not have to get into all of that, but I can get really geeky about it.

Tony Tei: In a way, what Neil was saying, even if he was not thinking of it that way at first, reminded me of a very Christopher Nolan kind of timeline. He sometimes starts you at the end and then brings you back to the beginning at the end of the film. That is what we tried to do. Even the sounds in the documentary follow that pattern. At the beginning, there is an uncomfortable unraveling. You are uncertain about what you are watching. Is it a documentary, a film, something sci-fi, or something rooted in nature? You get lost until you hear the conversation “Open Your Eyes,” and that is when the clock begins and aligns as it goes. Funnily, when we looked at this clock, we had not given it that much thought at first. We jumped into this without a script, not knowing how each chapter would go, which became a beautiful way of working because it gave us openness to develop the story as it needed to be. As we connected with each individual, those times and segments began connecting to each person’s story, all leading toward a closure. There was a time in editing when we completed a full cut and thought it was amazing, and then it suddenly dropped. We asked what had happened and whether we had lost the narrative. We realized we needed to add pieces that would allow the story to take its course. That is what happens when you are writing a story with your partner. There is always one spot that gets lost in translation because we spent so much time on chapters without seeing everything together. In all of that, there was a beauty in getting lost, because it allowed us to develop each person’s narrative and find the resilience, strength, dignity, and humanity in the stories.

An important aspect of this documentary is its keen reflection on individual stories told from multiple perspectives and how they collectively contribute to the larger narrative. How did you select your subjects for the documentary?

Neil Sandoz: It first started with the idea of highlighting one person and following them. After shooting an interview with him and talking more in depth, and through my own experience, I realized he was part of a whole community. We wanted to honor the whole without interviewing 250,000 people in Kibera. We also did not want to make it about the main subject, and I will not say who it is because he did not want it to be about him. He said the people around him were his brothers and sisters, and it would feel strange to single him out. I pushed back and said that sometimes you can tell a broader story through one person, but we felt it was more respectful to tell it from the collective perspective, from people who were new to basketball, to coaches, to the people who built the courts, creating a more holistic picture. At some point, we had to stop adding people because there were many others we would have loved to interview. If you have too many, the audience gets lost. It was a challenge to give each person enough time to feel part of the story. We did not want to make it about one person’s unique journey. It created challenges, but it also allowed us to listen to the community, because they said they would not feel good if it were just about one person. They said it needed to be about them together. I am glad we listened, because it made the piece stronger.

Tony Tei: Even within the whole structure, you might look at the cast and crew and think they are the major part, or that certain individuals are the focus. But in truth, Kibera is the main subject. When you look at the different elements, from nature to concrete to graffiti, all of that is what built the community. Even the small segment at the beginning with the Nubians shows that history is the foundation of the community. Throughout the story, in the backdrop of everything, Kibera is the main subject. The cast supports the story. Kibera remains the focal point.

How did you go about the process of financing the documentary?

Neil Sandoz:  This was, at its heart, a community and a passion project. From the shooters to the animators, to the designers, everyone pitched in on this.

Tony Tei: This had no backing. Everybody put their time and energy on the line for three years. That time and energy turned into something stronger, which is belief, the hope, and resilience we talk about through the story. Everyone saw a dream, the hope and the reality that grew from it. I believe each person on the team saw what it meant to have their own view or face reflected on the screen and wanted to shape the story into something better and bigger, something that helps people understand who we are. When you look at an Afro story, it sometimes becomes something it does not need to be. We have seen that through Hollywood, Paramount, and many production houses. We did not have a production house behind us, so we knew the reality had to be held with strength. We built a team that saw the vision, the heart, and what it would take to make a project like this go far.

Three years? How would you describe the journey of making it over those three to four years, and what impact did that long process have on you and the team?

Tony Tei: Three years on and off. I would actually say it is four years now as of November. We have been at it on and off because we also had other work we needed to do, since this is a passion project. We had our own responsibilities that kept things moving. Those years taught us many things. Parts of us and parts of the team are in the story, showing the resilience and hope in how we tried to handle everything. There were moments when people were down, but any time one of us was low, we helped each other and lifted each other up. You see that in the story. Some of the characters also changed in different segments because it took that long. I am grateful for those years because they made our relationship stronger as friends and partners. They helped us see things differently and taught us more about creativity. It pushed our creative limits to a point where I am not sure I could take on that kind of task again, but I am glad I learned it. Now I would rather someone else take on that part. It has been a very gracious three years.

What other projects do you have in the works? 

Neil Sandoz: This project put wind in our sails to think about what’s next. After we did a community screening in Kibera, it was exhausting for Tony and I to plan and prep, and we partnered with the Nairobi Film Festival, which did a ton of work. It was a massive event with almost 400 people. The rain came, and it was a beautiful mess. The next day, I expected to feel drained, but I was really excited about new ideas, thinking about what we could do next. Right before our call, Tony and I were talking about that. There’s nothing we can disclose yet, but in the creative world, when something propels your mind, you latch onto it. This project has boosted us creatively and emotionally to want to take on whatever is next.

Tony Tei: Even now, I have several archive projects that need attention. We look at what can push us forward. For this project, we want the world to see it, especially the community in Kibera and Africans who share the same reality. We want to give them that attitude, strength, and power. As for a sequel or prequel, we don’t know yet. We are still discussing the possibilities.

Once again, this is a very community-driven project, and I understand that it has been screened at the Nairobi Film Festival. I would love to see this documentary reach other countries in Africa, particularly local communities across different African societies, so more people can have access to it. It carries a message of hope, optimism, and inspiration. It offers encouragement to people from underprivileged communities or societies where progress and development often feel out of reach. So, there is a real need to create more opportunities for the documentary to be seen. What are your plans for distribution? Are there any intentions to make it available on streaming platforms?

Tony Tei: We would love to explore many options. Maybe we can throw the question back to you: how would you suggest showing this to the world, especially in Northern, Western, and Eastern Africa, and across the continent? As rookies in this industry, this is our first feature. We are still learning the ropes, trying to understand how to structure ourselves and navigate the strength of this passion project. We are open to any ideas, especially from someone in the industry. We want this story to share the energy we’ve felt with as many people as possible.  

Neil Sandoz: We are planning some festivals in the U.S., including in my home country, early next year. We are new to this world of television and holistic documentaries, though not to creating films. One image that comes to mind is a deep well. There is always more to pull—stories, ideas, creativity, ways to use this film. For example, we had a screening tonight that sold out in a few days. I would never have imagined that two months ago. We are in a season of discovery, taking it with gratitude and curiosity. As a storyteller, I feel grateful and curious, and we will see where that takes us.  

So Neil is from the United States, right? For how long have you been in Kenya?

Neil Sandoz: Yes, and I have been around for nine years.

Can you tell me a bit about your trajectory within this period?

Neil Sandoz: I partnered with various NGOs and nonprofits. That is where I started. Early on, I met Tony, got involved in the commercial space, and saw it grow from there. That is how it led to where I am today.

How about you, Tony? Any backstory as a filmmaker? Previous projects?

Tony Tei: My creativity in the film industry, or more broadly in the creative realm, started at university in the U.S. My friends, who became roommates and collaborators, and I began doing creative projects together. It started with watching shows and films like Mad Men and Drive, but mostly Drive. After watching Drive, I thought, Wow, how can I do this? At the time, I was studying political science, which makes the shift to storytelling and creating narratives feel even more surprising. I started experimenting with small documentary projects, which is a story for another time, but it helped me begin building a sense of narrative that I carry into my work today. Often, Neil and I will sit down, catch up, and get so immersed in ideas that we spend the whole day figuring out how to make a story better for the people around us. That mindset has been central to the creative approach I bring to filmmaking. I am not always the producer, but it has been incredible to take that role on this project. Working with photos, video, and different media has been an intensive and rewarding journey. As an African child, it is always interesting to see how my parents react to creative projects. Changing my degree from politics to becoming a creator has been an amazing and eye-opening journey.

On a final note, as filmmakers, based on your assessment of the film industry in Kenya, where are the gaps, and what can be done to improve filmmaking in that space?

Tony Tei: In short, a lot can change and a lot should change. There is so much opportunity in the creative space in this country and across the continent. Countless untold stories are waiting to be told through documentaries, short films, and other formats. The talent is vast. We have seen people succeed globally in film, music, and other creative fields, and it would be great to have more investment in the industry here. Often, the government views filmmaking differently from advertising, seeing less economic value. But entertainment is not just about money; it is about inspiring people, showing them what they can dream and achieve, and building strength and vision for the nation. Inspiration comes from seeing and hearing stories of others who have done great things. To unlock this potential, more funding and opportunities need to be made available to a wider group of creators rather than just a select few.

Neil Sandoz: I would add, as a non-African, that the well of ideas and talent here is overflowing. The potential is already present. It is a matter of grabbing the tools and getting to work. The stories, the people, and the creativity are all there.

Tony Tei: If anyone hears this, my advice is simple: go create. Don’t wait for an opportunity to be handed to you. Show your work to the world, share it with your community, and trust that others will support you. Even if it takes years, you will get there.