Earlier this month, Blackwell Productions and Docubox had a premiere showcase at Prestige Cinemas for a handful of short films. One of the standouts from the event was “1992,” starring Nyakundi Isaboke of Click Click Bang fame, along with the great Kenyan actress Shirleen Wangari, who wrote and produced the picture. It was directed by the always capable Gilbert Lukalia.
“1992” is a story set in a small house, an acting tour-de-force, where both leads are engrossed in an argument after Isaboke’s character finds ARV pills amongst his girlfriend’s (Ms. Wangari) belongings. Revealing more of the film would only serve to spoil it, because even if it’s just a short film, at eleven minutes long, it packs enough exciting turns and surprises all through. Questions of whether the title is the setting of the story is enough cognitive homework for any curious audience member. Is it based in the year 1992, a decade after the AIDS outbreak, or… nevermind. Would only serve to spoil it. You should make sure to watch it whenever you can, and solve that little riddle for yourself.
I spoke to Nyakundi Isaboke about this film, and how it all came together. He auditioned for it like everybody else. He sent over a tape to the casting director. Shirleen had previously seen him in the popular Click Click Bang movie, and loved him in it, but that hardly played a part in the fact that between all the other auditions, he stood out the most. In this country, people do short films not due to their enamorment of the short format, but because of the ever-present issue of insufficient funding for a feature. This problem is not exclusive to newbies, for even industry veterans suffer this plight.
I asked Nyakundi about his feelings towards the industry, in general, to which he said, “Ruto must go but not just Ruto. Everybody that’s like him must go.” He says that while the industry is growing, and there’s no lack of talent in this country, something crucial is missing… somewhere. I mentioned perhaps our lack of exhibition infrastructure, movie theaters, that show our own films. He said, “You see, you can complain about Deadpool taking all our screens, but the fact of the matter is that the movie has been promoted for the past one year. We can’t reinvent the wheel. We can’t keep making movies for a few months, then start talking to theaters a month before the release and expect the same treatment.” That’s very true.
He added, “Institutions kama KBC waache ujinga pia. They should be our anchor station. They should be at the forefront of the multimedia movement in this country. They should borrow a leaf from SABC, BBC; who support their indigenous productions more than any other entity in their respective countries.”
During our talk, I noticed he had blonde hair. I asked him what that was about. “Oh yeah, this was for a role. I was in a stage play called Lwanda Otero…” In my head I went, That play again! “Lwanda Otero” is a musical play that ran from 8th to 11th August at the Braeburn Theater. I have been hearing so much about that play, though sadly I didn’t have a chance to attend a show. I wish I did. I told him that, to which he continued, “Yeah I played the killer. I’m the guy who killed Lwanda Otero. And next time avoid wishing you went to a play and actually go to them (chuckles).”
Eventually I asked him what was next for him. Nyakundi and a few others run a production company, “Instead of just sitting at home waiting for the phone to ring, we’d rather create opportunities for ourselves.” One such opportunity he wrote and directed into existence. A film titled “From Kisii With Love,” about a man going through a breakup, so then his parents bring along a girl from the village to keep him company. Arranged marriage as a comedy. I’m quite looking forward to seeing that, because it sounds very fresh, very down-to-Nairobi, and rather funny. On set, his colleagues, like the “1992” best girl Shalvine Wali, commend his warm energy during the one shooting day. Shirleen Wangari, who wrote it, spent months, though, researching the project by going all over the country and speaking to those afflicted with AIDS. “1992” is currently being distributed by Docubox East Africa Film Fund under a project called Get Reel and will be available soon. “From Kisii With Love,” is also coming soon.
