In Light Human Rights Documentary Film Festival
An Oxford professor uncovers the world of Kenyan essay mills, a billion-dollar industry which employs thousands of educated but underemployed Kenyans, putting forth questions of educational and ethical integrity.
In The Shadow Scholars, Oxford's youngest Black professor, Patricia Kingori, delves into a multibillion-dollar underground industry where 40,000 educated Kenyans ghostwrite essays for students often in American, British, or Australian institutions. Filmed across three continents amid crackdowns and AI threats, it probes into the colonization of knowledge, racial inequities, and the exploitation of African labor. [97 min; documentary; English]
“The film carefully builds its story, interweaving interviews with Kingori’s personal life, which prove to intersect in a truly staggering way, raising even more questions about fakes and power.” — Beth Accomando, AWFJ.org
“At each point when one might think that the key to this fascinating subject has been found, another door is opened, leading to yet more unexplored angles.” — Jennie Kermode, Eye for Film
“Eloïse King brings a considered lens through centering humanity and drawing a parallel between colonialism and the power structures that exist today. There is a broader, more complex dialogue that is encouraged to be explored.” — KT Mahe, For Your Reference podcast
Any film screened at IU Cinema may contain content that viewers find sensitive or upsetting. Visit our Audience Advisories page to learn more.
