Australian Christopher King and his Kenyan wife Maia Lekow are the filmmakers behind How to Build a Library, a documentary filmed over 8 years in Nairobi, Kenya. It was launched at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival in January 2025 as one of the 12 invited international documentaries. It has since toured the world, having been screened in more than 50 countries.
It is a telling story of a ‘whites-only library’, built in the 1930s, that was handed back to the Kenyan people when independence was declared in the late 1950s. The library sat unloved and inoperable for many years until two local woman took up the charge to give it a new life for all Kenyans. Watch the movie to see how it pans out.
See the link to the film’s trailer.
Special screenings will take place in Melbourne and Geelong as follows:
- Cinema Nova, Carlton, Wed 11/02/26 at 3.45pm
- Pivotonian Cinema Geelong, Wed 18/02/26 at 6.15pm (a Geelong screening on the 10/02/26 is sold out).
There will be an introduction to the film from Chris and Maia and Q&A afterwards in Melbourne.
Tickets $25. Book by emailing Michael King on king56mike@gmail.com
Michael is the father of Chris and father-in-law of Maia; the screenings aim to raise funds to cover the costs making the documentary.
[Posted on behalf of Michael King]
Thank you for including this event on PLV website. This film screening seems to be too relevant to miss out on. I will be watching it!