Taking Root tells the moving story of the Green Belt Movement of Kenya and its founder Wangari Maathai, the first environmentalist and first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. In response to rural women’s problems stemming from a degraded environment, Maathai suggested they plant trees. Starting with this simple act, these women found themselves working successively against deforestation, poverty, ignorance, embedded economic interests, and violent political oppression until they became a national political force that helped to bring down Kenya’s 24-year dictatorship.

(80 minutes)
Audience Choice: Rencontres Internationales du Documentaire de Montréal (RIDM). Amnesty International Durban Human Rights Award: Durban International Film Festival. Audience Award Winner: Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival.