African In America: A Creative Bridge

Ust’-Dzheguta
As a father passes down a recipe he unlocks images and reflections of a life built on two continents. One meal proves to be a window to the past, and a bridge between two cultures. Saihou Njie is a Gambian artist/creative who has lived, worked, and raised a family in Pittsburgh for over 30 years. This film is an overview of the life he’s built in the US, specifically exploring how he’s woven his Gambian identity into the fabric of his American life. Food is the access point to Saihou’s story, as the Gambian dish he’s seen preparing stands as a metaphor for his cross-cultural journey. When he starts cooking he explains his background and his influences from home, and as the meal prep progresses so too does his story of adaptation, and the struggle to maintain and pass down his connectedness to home.