Discover Kenya through film
Until recently, due to the colonial and post-colonial context, the productions shot in Kenya were mainly made by foreigners. Despite a Western point of view and therefore limited, they allow us to discover certain aspects of the country's history. Among the best known is Richard Brooks' Carnival of the Gods (1967), which tells the story of the friendship of two characters, a white man and a black man, in a country in transition to independence. Another example is Out
of Africa (1985), a romantic drama by Sydney Pollack with Meryl Streep, which tells the story of two European lovers and their ambiguous love for the continent at the dawn of the First World War. In a more recent genre, three French films allow us to discover life in rural Kenya. Massaï, les guerriers de la pluie by Pascal Plisson (2004) is an immersive tale in the bush alongside a Maasaï tribe. On the documentary side, Les Chroniques de l'Afrique sauvage (1995) introduces us to the wildlife of the bush in twelve very complete episodes. Finally, Umoja, the village forbidden to men (2008), directed by Jean Crousillac and Jean-Marc Sainclair, presents an autonomous refuge community created by Samburu women raped by British soldiers and then repudiated by their families. A fascinating matriarchal experience that today welcomes all women in search of a new model of society.A growing local production
The Riverwood Filmmakers association, which brings together nearly 300 Kenyan producers and directors, supports the local industry, which competes with American, Indian and Nigerian films. More than a hundred "made in Kenya" films have been produced so far, for very modest budgets. The television series market is also booming since the government imposed quotas for the broadcasting of local programs
On the auteur film side, although access to production resources for young Kenyans remains difficult, an emerging film industry is gradually making its mark on the international scene. Among these new figures, it is impossible not to mention David Gitonga for Nairobi Half life (2012), the first Kenyan film nominated for an Oscar. This new generation of African cinema is also represented by director Wanuri Kahiu. Her latest film, Rafiki, - "friend" in Swahili - tells a love story between two young girls. Presented at Cannes in May 2018, it was a big hit with local audiences before being banned by the Kenya Film Classification Board as being contrary to Kenyan mores.
Events committed to cinema throughout the year
Founded in 2011 in Nairobi, the Slum Film Festival celebrates fiction and documentary films shot in the slums every year. This international event brings the expression and creativity of slum filmmakers to the forefront and brings cinema to areas that don't usually have access to it.
For the youngest, the Lola Kenya Screen Festival has been honoring since 2005 films for children and/or made by children and teenagers. This is where the talents of tomorrow's Kenyan cinema are spotted! The program includes short films and African productions, selected by the young people and rewarded by an audience award. It is also a learning-by-doing program, including film production, film criticism, media literacy, etc.
