Journeyman Pictures has acquired the worldwide rights to the acclaimed documentary Kikuyu Land, following its successful run on the international festival circuit. The deal, struck with U.S.-based Trifilm Studios, encompasses all rights globally and marks a significant step for the investigative feature.
Directed by Andrew H. Brown and journalist Bea Wangondu, Kikuyu Land held its world premiere in the World Cinema Documentary Competition at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival. Since then, it has garnered critical attention at CPH:DOX and the Guadalajara International Film Festival. It is slated for its U.K. premiere at Sheffield DocFest this June.
The U.K.-based sales and distribution firm Journeyman Pictures plans a robust multi-platform release. This includes theatrical runs in major territories such as the United States, U.K.-Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and key markets across Europe. In addition to cinema releases, Journeyman will oversee television sales, a global digital rollout, and a dedicated campaign designed to highlight the film’s social and political themes.
“Bea Wangondu’s tenacious journalism in the face of a highly personal and often dangerous subject, coupled with Andrew H. Brown’s stunning cinematography and editing, makes for a truly special documentary,” said Emma Simpson, Director at Journeyman Pictures.
Set against the backdrop of Kenya’s lush tea highlands, the film follows a community’s struggle to reclaim ancestral land seized during the colonial era land that is currently held by powerful multinational corporations.
The narrative is driven by co-director Bea Wangondu, who investigates a local man’s legal petition against the British Crown. Her journey becomes deeply personal as she uncovers long-buried secrets regarding her own family’s history and their role in the colonial legacy. The documentary has been praised for its twisty, crime-thriller pacing and its indictment of modern-day corporate exploitation and the lingering structures of colonial rule.
The acquisition reunites Journeyman Pictures with Andrew H. Brown and Trifilm Studios. The parties previously collaborated on the 2023 award-winning documentary Between the Rains.
The film is produced by a team including Moses Bwayo (co-director of the Oscar-nominated Bobi Wine: The People’s President), Mike Morrisoe, Joseph Njenga, Brown, and Wangondu.
With this global deal, Kikuyu Land is poised to bring its urgent message of land justice and historical accountability to a worldwide audience throughout the remainder of 2026.