Filmmaker Charlotte Schiøler is set to present her acclaimed Parisian dramedy ‘Maoussi’ at the Alliance Française in Nairobi for its East African premiere on Monday, March 17th, 2025.
The film, which has garnered international recognition at prestigious festivals including the Shanghai International Film Festival and London Cineverse, tells the story of Babette, a Parisian dancer, and Edo, a talented musician fleeing civil war. Their unexpected cohabitation and the appearance of a laboratory mouse named Maoussi create a touching narrative about love transcending cultural boundaries.
The screening represents a homecoming of sorts for Schiøler, connecting her European filmmaking journey with her family’s storied history in Kenya. Schiøler’s Kenyan connection runs deep through her great-aunt Karen Blixen, the renowned Danish author whose life in Kenya inspired the Oscar-winning film ‘Out of Africa’.
Though Schiøler never met Blixen, who passed away in 1962, she cherishes family stories about her famous relative’s literary works and Kenyan roots. “Our family remembers her love for Kenya which is documented in her books and diaries,” says Charlotte adding that Karen Blixen, whom the present day Karen neighbourhood in Nairobi is named after, “was never really successful as a farmer and mostly relied on support from her well-to-do uncle back home.”
Schiøler, who visited the Karen Blixen Museum during her previous trip to Kenya, subtly pays homage to her relative with the film’s protagonist Babette referencing Blixen’s celebrated short story ‘Babette’s Feast’.
Schiøler’s personal experiences with cultural differences also inform the film’s sensitive exploration of cross-cultural relationships. Drawing from her own experience dating a Senegalese immigrant against her family’s wishes, she crafts a narrative that examines both sides of the cultural story.
The film also highlights issues of migration, cultural identity and the complexities of multinational relationships.
“Maoussi unmasks the innocence of not understanding another’s culture,” Schiøler explains. “My hope is that it will stir conversations about the dynamics of marrying for love versus practical reasons.”
‘Maoussi’ projects the nuances of cross-cultural relationships and favours the rejection of stereotypes, instead treating characters as equals in their journey toward understanding and acceptance.
With a fair dose of humour, this sophisticated romantic comedy unravels the complexities of love and the purpose of marriage in the modern world, all while celebrating the bonds that unite across cultural divides.
The film’s success has led to its adaptation into a six-part television series, further expanding its reach and impact.
