People from different faiths can extend kindness, show respect to one another, and forge friendships, and this is what the new film "Watu Wote," which means "All of Us," seeks to prove.
The film, which is set to premiere next month, will share the ordeals faced by a group of Muslims who went out of their way to protect Christians from the al-Shabaab militants, according to Christian Daily.
The Christian bus passengers were ambushed in Mandera, Kenya in December 2015. Kenya's northeastern region chief administrator Mohamud Saleh told Al Jazeera that the militants tried to flag the bus down. When the driver refused to stop, they fired shots at it, instantly killing two passengers and injuring several others.
When the militants got inside the bus, they asked the 62 Muslims on board to point out the Christian passengers. However, the Muslims refused to do so. Even though the militants threatened to kill or harm them should they refuse to cooperate, the Muslim passengers bravely protected the Christians and stood their ground.
"Watu Wote" director Katja Benrath, who studies at the Hamburg Media School in Germany, is simply astounded by the kindness and bravery shown by these Muslims to Christians on that fateful day. For her, their actions only prove that there is hope for humanity.
"We were touched by the story ... that in a situation like this one humanity could win," Benrath said. "In this life-threatening moment, people stood up for each other — not caring about the religion of the next person because they wanted to save and shield human beings."
While making the film in Mandera, Benrath saw for herself the respect both Christians and Muslims had for each other. She said their unity helped contribute to their community's strength.
Meanwhile, Mandera-based Roman Catholic priest John Musyoka said the film will definitely help change people's minds about terrorism in the Muslim world.
