United States / Jan 26, 2025 / Sundance Film Festival (world premiere)
Overall average
5.0/10
Trailer
Videos
Plot
Two intrepid Nairobi women decide to transform what used to be a whites-only library until 1958 into a vibrant cultural hub. Along the way, they must navigate local politics, raise millions for the rebuild, and confront the lingering ghosts of Kenya’s colonial past.
Main cast
Genres
DocumentaryHistory
Technical details
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Original title | How to Build a Library |
| Original language | English (EN) |
| Spoken languages | English, Kiswahili |
| Production countries | Kenya |
| Status | Released |
| Production companies | Circle & Square Productions, Artemis Rising, Fork Films, One Story Up Productions, Doc Society |
| Official site | circleandsquare.tv |
| Release date | 21 novembre 2025 |
| Executive producer | Roger Ross Williams, Geralyn White Dreyfous, Regina K. Scully, Geoff Martz, Judy Kibinge, Jamie Wolf, Nathalie Seaver, Meryl Metni, Maxyne Franklin, Tegan Acton, Emma Pompetti, Nikki Heyman, Adam Lewis, Melony Lewis |
| Production | Christopher King, Maia Lekow |
| Writer | Christopher King, Ricardo Acosta, Maia Lekow |
| Editing | Christopher King, Ricardo Acosta, Michael Onyiego, Maya Daisy Hawke |
| Assistant directors | Christopher King, Maia Lekow |
| Music | Katya Mihailova, Maia Lekow, Daniel Hoffknecht, Nico Berthold |
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Release dates
Premiere
Australia / Jun 07, 2025 / Sydney Film Festival
South Africa / Jun 26, 2025 / A / Encounters International Documentary Festival
Kenya / Oct 17, 2025 / Unseen Nairobi Film Festival
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United Kingdom / Oct 27, 2025 / Sheffield DocFest
Netherlands / Nov 14, 2025 / IDFA, Amsterdam
Theatrical release
Kenya / Nov 21, 2025
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