CPH:DOX 2025 - How to Build a Library

In the middle of Nairobi lies a ruinous library full of old books, dusty maps and piles of worn-out furniture. In other words: The perfect place for a new and vibrant cultural sanctuary for the city's youth. Two young women, Shiro and Wachuka, have a vision to transform the colonial shambles of a house that was originally only accessible to whites. Now it's time to change the tune. The idea is great and so is their drive, but the two friends soon realize that they also have to learn the universal art of giving champagne speeches to their sponsors and navigate the cultural-political landscape. When to compromise? And when to stick to your ideals? Shiro and Wachuka have immense charisma and shine like superstars in a film that above all takes decolonization seriously in both its complexity and its necessity.