New Film Probes the West’s Very Old Obsession With ‘Saving’ Africa

By Jamilah King Jun 27, 2014

Remember the viral outrage surrounding the KONY 2012 campaign? It was part of a long, troubling history of the West’s obsession with "saving Africa." The new film "Framed" looks at the dynamic and asks a simple question: Who exactly are we trying to save Africa from

Cassandra Herman and Kathryn Mathers recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise money to finish the film. "Why is it that we never see images of African professionals and change-makers in pop culture and the media?," they asked in a press release. "It’s time to take a second look at the framing of Africa in crisis, to listen to African perspectives and revisit the intention to help in Africa, which, while sincere, might be compounding the inequalities we hope to erase."

(Africa is a Country)