Kenyans are considered the cream of the crop of world-class marathon runners, particularly those from Kenya’s Rift Valley where most of this lm is set. But some of Kenya’s top runners aren’t running marathons, some are wanted criminals, running for their lives.
For years, Julius Arile and Robert Matanda have been part of roaming bands of warriors that terrorize the countryside, stealing cattle, raiding and running from the police. But as part of a government-sponsored program they decide to trade in their AK47s for sneakers — in the hopes of making it as professional marathon runners.
Years of fleeing from the police have prepared them for running marathon distances, but do they have what it takes to put their violent pasts behind them, survive the tough training regimes and build a new life? Filmed over 8 years and told entirely by its central characters, Gun Runners is a parable of a nation’s attempt to embrace both tradition and modernity.
