Beautiful Tree, Severed Roots (2014)

Kenny Mann's mother's maiden name was SCHOENBAUM which means 'beautiful tree' in German. Being Jewish and socialist, she and her Polish husband were forced to flee Romania in 1940. Eventually, they settled in Kenya. Born and raised there, Kenny Mann examines her own life and identity within the context of her parent's life in Africa. Unlike British colonial settlers, her parents came to Africa to learn, to teach and to improve life for African people, adapting their secular Judaism to a deep identification with Africa and Africans. Compiled as a poetic collage of narration, moving images, voices, music and still shots, Jewish themes, such as remembering, forgetting, documenting and assimilating are explored, leading to the more universal themes of identity, place, home and self.