Set against the breathtaking yet parched landscapes of central Kenya, The Battle for Laikipia delves deep into a simmering conflict that has reached a boiling point. Directed by Daphne Matziaraki and Kenyan filmmaker Peter Murimi, the documentary takes a hard, unflinching look at a battle over land and resources, pitting the semi-nomadic Samburu people against ranchers of European descent. As drought and dwindling water supplies reshape life on the Laikipia plateau, the film shows how climate change has reignited long-standing tensions, turning grazing grounds into battlegrounds. With a restrained and balanced approach, Matziaraki and Murimi present a nuanced narrative of two communities grappling for survival. On one side, we see the Samburu, whose traditional practices of free-range herding clash with the fences and property lines imposed by the ranchers. On the other side, we meet third and fourth-generation settlers who view themselves as equally Kenyan, clinging to their land and livelihood even as the drought pushes both sides toward conflict. The film carefully avoids easy villainy, showing the complex intersections of tradition, property, and climate in a land where colonial history is still felt in every blade of grass.Through arresting cinematography and deft editing, The Battle for Laikipia captures the drama of the land itself, a place where even the animals seem caught in the crossfire. Cows and goats are slaughtered at night, and violence erupts with tragic regularity. As each community’s needs grow more desperate, the film bears witness to a conflict that feels like a harbinger of global issues to come. This is not just a portrait of Kenya—it’s a haunting glimpse into a future where environmental crises force humanity to reckon with its past and confront an uncertain path forward. The film won the Amazon MGM Studios Producers Award for Nonfiction at the 2024 Sundance Film festival.Nicole Guillemet