Pili (2018)

Bello Rashid is the eponymous lady who sees an opportunity to take over the local kiosk in her small Tanzanian town. Thing is, she has HIV, no money and two young children who she is desperate to see educated and cared for. Going into business for herself could be the best way to achieve that, and so she approaches the local co-op for a loan whilst she tries to persuade "Mahera" (Nkwabi Elias Ng'angasmala" who owns the shop to let her rent it from him. A combination of events now seem to conspire against her as she must juggle her own medical needs with the needs of her family and her aspirations in a world where everyone is in a similar boat. "Pili" is no stranger to difficulty and at times her character elicits sympathy - especially with the rather odious "Mahera" but at other times she comes across as unrealistically self-centred. More generically, it does offer us a look at life in a community where HIV is rife and where the use of protection is scorned by ignorance and stigma. It's that latter point that is especially well made here. What people will do to avoid shame, especially in a tightly knit and gossip-prone society. The film is all just too lacklustre, though, and whilst I did sympathise with "Pili" and her plight, I didn't especially like her rather weekly depicted character. The acting is all just a little bit flat and this film relies too heavily on the audience's own sense of pity and/or disgust rather than deliver us a story that we can engage more fully with. It's watchable enough, but disappointing.