The SAMOSA Festival, the cultural arm of AwaaZ, (www.samosafestival.com) has held regular film screenings since 2005 and while we have shown many great films from Africa and internationally, the nagging question has always been – is there a Kenyan film and story?
And so, for the last two years we at AwaaZ have focused on identifying and watching African, and especially Kenyan, films on streaming platforms like Showmax and Netflix. Dedicating an issue of AwaaZ magazine on ‘Film Making in Kenya’ was therefore a natural progression. And what a journey it has been!
Our two guest editors, Wacuka Mungai and Shehina Fazal, were instrumental in identifying a diverse group of writers and for curating 29 articles spanning the entire production chain from script writing to distribution. It is extremely gratifying to see the depth and spread of talent, sophistication and passion within Kenya’s film industry.
We have complimented the stories on Film Making in Kenya with a variety of book and film reviews touching on different aspects of the film industry in Africa and internationally. The special feature section has an insightful correspondence exposing the ‘divide and rule’ and ‘Islamophobic’ aspects of Kenya’s colonial past.
We are already receiving requests to publish a second issue on the African/Kenyan film project which we are considering seriously and perhaps this time round we shall get an input from the Government. Savour this issue as you take a deep dive into the workings of the Kenyan film industry. We look forward to your feedback!
