Kenyan Film

I am guilty of not utilizing my skills in this area, this article made me go hmmm you have a point. We as Africans need to tell our own stories. Its very doable it can be low budget

Kenyan Film Industry Written by Amina Mohamed Monday, 23 April 2007

Last month Nigerian films made a sweep at the African Movie Academy Awards. Incidentally, only one film from Kenya was nominated, Voice in the Bin for Best Film.

A quick glance at the nominees shows that Nigerians had the most number of nominees in any category. Nigerian films have become increasingly popular in Kenya and the rest of Africa.

Every street corner has hundreds of these films-- a dime a dozen. When I first watched them I was amused by the Nigerian character. However, the charm soon wore off and the yelling and juju-filled stories only irritate me. There are not too many African films to write home about, however, Totsi from a few years ago comes to mind as a great story.

Too many times we criticise Hollywood for misrepresenting us, for telling our story, not through our eyes, but through theirs. Many of us criticize Hollywood films, even if slightly accurate in historical context, such as Blood Diamond and all the renditions of Idi Amin and other African dictators. For even if our rulers were evil, even if some of our past and present is not glorious we would rather not have Hollywood retell that story. At the same time, it isn't Hollywood's responsibility to tell our story.

I am not much of a movie buff, but a well-produced African film, especially a Kenyan one, would appeal very much to me. The film industry is undoubtedly an expensive venture. Bollywood and Nollywood , in their growing industries, have both shown that on a low budget one can still produce a film.

According to a recent report by ComMattersKenya Limited, 80 per cent of television programs are foreign, while almost 100 per cent of films shown at the cinema are foreign. One would think that the Kenya Film Commission (KFC) aims at creating an opportunity for Kenyan films, and growth for Kenyan film producers and actors and actresses. However, KFC's goal is much like that of the Kenyan Tourism Board, that to sell Kenya's image to Hollywood in what a great locale Kenya is.

Kenya is not without talent. A few years ago, a young Kenyan man produced a film that has been critically acclaimed-- HipHop Colony. Other noteworthy film producers and directors include: Njeri Karago and Judy Kibinge. Last year, the program Lola Kenya Screen gave an opportunity for budding Kenyan youth to produce animation films. Out of this came a complitation of nine films that in March won the Africa Grand Prize for achievement in a film made by children at t the fifth World Summit on Media for Children, held in Johannesburg.

The argument has been, for many, that films are too expensive to produce. However, Nollywood, Bollywood and Independent films across the world have proved that low-budget films are possible. Digital video recording, and increased access to technology will make what was an impossible feat a few years ago, a dream within reach.

While we must not follow all the way in Nollywoods steps, we could take a step or two in their direction. Following the history of Nollywood it is not difficult to see why its rise, albeit critism of poor quality, has resulted in its growth.

So, how about a movie with a real story, afterall, "Kenya is not just about fast running men and giraffes."