I (heart) 2 Kenyan Films!

Two weeks ago, a colleague and I attended the premiere of the Kenyan International Film Festival (KIFF) – its one of several annual film festivals. This two-week event showcases African produced films. The premiere movie, “The Captain of Nakara” (This trailer needs to be re-cut to better convey the film’s humorous plot) was a comedic and entertaining satire.

“Captain of Nakara” is set in a fictitious Kenyan village, but the underlying social message is real.

The main character, Muntu, a poor young man, meets a beautiful girl-- a clergyman’s daughter, whom he wants to marry. Prior to meeting this pretty woman, Muntu was petty thief, but he had conscious. He wants to get his life back on the straight-and-narrow path for his future.

To win this girl’s heart and hand in marriage, he pretends that he is wealthier than he is.

To earn money for his wedding, he concocts an idea to sell small trinkets along the roadside. However, the idea isn’t as simple as one would expect. Muntu encounters a variety of corruption obstacles. This satire reveals gross government ineptitude as well as tiny nuances of cultural wedding expectations.

Despite a few local Kenyan media reviews dismissing the piece, I think it’s one of the better films I’ve seen lately and would recommend a screening.

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Today, I watched another film that’s quite buzz-worthy. Its a Kenyan production called, “Nairobi Half Life.” (Watch Trailer here) 

For my American and European friends, you might have an opportunity to screen it at a small, independent theatre near you.

It’s the first film from Kenya to be nominated for a 2013 Academy Award (Oscar) for Best Foreign Language Film and has received unprecedented local support and viewership.

[Read more about the social message and impact on CNN here]

Its been a film that is contentious because of rumors that certain government officials are not pleased with it because it does not cast Kenya in the most favorable light.

The film’s protagonist is an optimistic and charismatic young man who aims for bigger things. To achieve his dreams and in pursuit of opportunity, He (like many real-life Kenyans) leaves his rural village to travel to Nairobi.

While encountering a series of misfortunes along the way (sorry, there’s no spoiler’s here), poverty and lack of job opportunities, lead him into living a double-life. To survive, he is an aspiring actor by day, and a carjacking, gun-wielding, gang-member by night.

Yes, thoughts of rough-riding gang-bangers sound cliché, but I think the filmmakers do an excellent job of developing the lead and supporting characters in an original way. (This film is not a Hollywood stereotypical famous film like “The Departed” or “Pulp Fiction.” Don't repackage those plots to be set in Africa. "Nairobi Half Life" is different.)

Without being too heavy, the film’s producers appropriately convey a deeper social message about society's obstacles and corruption that pervades both police and criminals. 

While I can’t cast an official vote, I hope this under-dog project gets some well-deserved traction and international notoriety. The only African countries to ever submit films in the history of the Academy are South Africa and Israel. 

Now, Kenya can be proud to be moving up the ranks of global competition. Thus far, the only African film to win this prestigious award was 2006’s “Tsotsi.” Maybe a win will put Kenya on this circuit. My fingers are crossed.

As an educator teaching video production and visual storytelling, I hope that thorough my lessions, my students are developing the practical tools to creative in the same way that these cinematographers rouse emotion and social debate with their artistic work.