We Are Together (Thina Simunye)

Slindile is 12 years old, and her life has not been easy. She lives at the Agape Orphanage in South Africa with other children, most of whom have lost their parents to AIDS. Director Paul Taylor spent three months as a volunteer at the orphanage in KwaZulu Natal in 2003. He was profoundly moved by the children, their personalities and, in particular, their beautiful singing – the children have formed a choir to help them come to terms with their loss. He returned to spend three years making this film. His work takes an unexpected turn when the opportunity arises to make a CD of the choir’s music, traditional Zulu songs, and to travel to the USA to secure funding for the orphanage which was badly damaged by fire. They eventually make it all the way to New York, becoming ambassadors for their cause, and that of the 12 million other AIDS orphans in Africa. This film stands testament to their strength of spirit. (DOK.fest München)