BUFIS

By Mahad AHMED, Vincenzo CAVALLO

UNAFILM - as PROD

Drama - Completed 2023

Many Somali refugees dream of a better life in the US. In order to get there, they have to cheat American authorieties in an unprecedented way. But isn’t a life in freedom worth the biggest scam of all times?

Festivals
& Awards

Warsaw FF 2023
    • Year of production
    • 2023
    • Genres
    • Drama, Comedy
    • Countries
    • GERMANY, KENYA
    • Languages
    • ENGLISH, SWAHILI
    • Duration
    • 100 mn
    • Director(s)
    • Mahad AHMED, Vincenzo CAVALLO
    • Producer(s)
    • Titus KREYENBERG (UNAFILM)
    • Synopsis
    • Many Somalis dream of a better life in the US. They are called Bufis or daydreamers. For men like Assad this is a business opportunity. Assad is the best scriptwriter of Nairobi. When the U.S. embassy opens the green card lottery, he creates fake families out of dispersed refugees. Thanks to his creativity, his experience as an acting coach and his connections in the Embassy, he has sent hundreds of fake families to the US.
      This time, he choses a former warlord, a runaway bride, a prostitute and a widower and his son to create a fake family. Assad is the only person who knows their real identity. During their adventure each member will learn a lot of things. With the help of Assad and his team they will achieve much more than a new life and a brighter future. Throughout the process many things will change. Nothing will be the same again after what they have gone through and shared with one another. All the members of this fake family must do is to stay focused on the script and give their best performance. But this is not as easy as it sounds. A lot of new facts are revealed and disrupt the fragile process of conning the Americans.
      Assad himself will set out on an internal journey, from being a cold heart trafficker to a
      family man. Bufis is based on true events - It is a story that will make you laugh and cry - like the characters, we are all ready to fight for our dreams especially when we finally understand what they truly are.