Kenyan filmmaker Wanuri Kahiu puts the lie to such ‘wisdom’ that Africa does not have, or is not ready for, science fiction. Her 2009 film, Pumzi (Breath), utilizes the science fiction mode to represent a world in which water is scarce and humans have been compelled to live indoors. The film had its US premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, though it has not, as yet, found distribution within the US. This short film features a small community that has located itself underground after a global war over water resources. After she receives a mysterious tip, the protagonist, Asha, believes she may be able to locate a water source, and she leaves the safety of the community.

In the tradition of much science fiction film, Kahiu utilizes the conventions of her filmic narrative to highlight a pressing issue for her and for Kenyan (and, indeed, African) society. For example, post-apocalyptic science fiction, including both fiction and film, has represented social concerns over the Cold War and/or nuclear weapons (The Day the Earth Stood Still [1951], Dr. Strangelove [1964], Fail-Safe [1964]). Some of these were specifically representing fears of the Soviet Union, while others represent fears of the nuclear confrontation and fallout from an encounter with the ‘alien’ Soviets. Similarly, many science fiction films have foregrounded questions of the environment.