WOLE SOYINKA TO ATTEND 2011 KENYA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVALS

AFRICA’S LITERARY GIANT: WOLE SOYINKA TO ATTEND 2011 KENYA  INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVALS

Soyinka to facilitate the forum for literature scholars…..

Re-known African literature expert, film writer, poet and play write Professor Wole Soyinka is set to grace this year’s Kenya International Film Festivals that will take place between October 21 -31^st 2011.

Prof. Soyinka, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986, has written 21 plays, 2 novels, 5 memoirs, 10 poetry collections, 6 essays and 3 movies. His visit to Kenya has been made possible by the Nigerian Film and Video Censorship Board. The literary giant will also be accompanied by several Nigerian film producers who submitted their films for viewing at the KIFF.

In Keeping with KIFF’s tradition, Prof. Soyinka is expected also facilitate a forum for literature scholars in Nairobi. During the forum film dons, film makers and lecturers will interact and with the insight of Prof. Soyinka forge the way forward on film syllabus and curriculum in Kenyan universities and colleges. 

Festival director Mr. Charles Asiba said: “We are delighted to have a personality of the stature of Prof. Wole Soyinka, who is an authoritative figure in the African film industry to come and grace us with his presence. We are also excited with the fact that KIFF is going to be used as platform for Prof. Soyinka   to educate the young literature scholars in Kenya”.

He also announced the attendance of Idrissa Ouedraogo, a well-known film director from Burkina Faso as jury member at KIFF 2011. Ouedraogo is a graduate of the African Institute for Cinema Studies (Institut Africain d’Etudes Cinématographiques) in Ouagadougou and has directed various short films. Ouédraogo also graduate school at the Institut des Hautes Etudes Cinématographiques IDHEC in Paris in 1985.

Ouédraogo is also known for winning the Grand Prix for his film Tilaï (The Law) at the 1990l Cannes Film Festival, and the FIPRESCI Award for his 1986 film Yam Daabo (The Choice). His 1993 film Samba Traoré won the Silver Bear at the 43rd Berlin International Film Festival. 

The film festivals that attracted 530 films from 52 countries will keep in tune with its slogan ' A Film A Day For The Calendar Year'  and will screen 365 films in five towns concurrently. These are Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Eldoret. In this regard, KIFF has partnered with Moi University, Egerton University, Masinde Muliro University and Alliance Francaise who will provide their screening halls to be used for the viewing sessions.

Mr. Asiba said the screenings will be at, Alliance Francaise de Nairobi, National Museums of Kenya, Cinemax Prestige on Ngong Road, Fort Jesus in Mombasa, Alliance France in Mombasa, Moi University main Campus, Maseno University town campus, Kisumu Simba Club, Alliance Francaise de Eldoret.

Mr. Asiba said the preparations for the 2011 Festival are at an advanced stage adding that “we are happy by the response of the film makers when we called for entries what we now want from Kenyans to do is to come and watch a movie with us so that the ambition of being the biggest film festival in Africa.”

Kimani Maruge Themed Movie "The First Grader "

The Kimani Maruge's life story themed movie "The First Grader" has evoked much ecstasy among its Kenyans fans ,however there is a twist of irony to the whole affair. The film which featured in this years Toronto Film Festival (September 9-19th)  has as part of its cast Hollywood actress Naomi Harris, Sam Feurer, Nick Reding and local media personalities and comedian  Daniel Ndambuki, actor  Oliver Litondo (playing the Lead Mr Maruge) Emily Njoki, Mumbi Kaigwa among others .

The film featured as a "British Film" whereas much of the cast, the location and the story line is Kenyan.The film was Directed by Justin Chadwick That is the irony -a local story that hardly merited any production venture from our myriads production houses but caught the eyes of our former colonial masters hence being retold by foreigners.

While ultimately this story of resilience  has caught more attention than it would have been had it been a local production ,the fact is that it was a story worth telling and perhaps we as a people never thought of seizing the opportunity of telling our own stories of triumph and victory over adversity. In fact the inspiration of the story Mr Kimani Maruge died in misery as an Internally Displaced person by virtue of the selfish interests that played out in Kenya's last general election.I am a firm believer that no one can tell an African story better than the Africans themselves yet we pass on many opportunities e.g Nelson Mandela's Movie(was a foreign production) ,we hardly have a movie on Wangari Maathai and other personalities whose story is worth mention.

According to IMDB the story line behind the movie is developed upon the 84 year old Kimani Maruge's desire to learn to read which inspires him to Join Primary School standard One(American equivalent: First Grade) a class alongside six year-olds. Together he and his young teacher face fierce resistance, but ultimately they win through - and also find a new way of overcoming the burdens of the colonial past.

Interestingly,"Kimani Maruge" enjoys a facebook fanpage courtesy of a fan with over 5,349 fans indicating its not only school that he joined- his story went past the Digital Divide.The only thing lacking as is common of Holywood hits is "The First Grader Movie Website"

Soul Boy the Movie -Premiere

The much acclaimed Kenyan Independent movie dubbed "Soul Boy" premiered on Saturday 6th of March 2010 in Kenya's sprawling slum 'Kibera'. The movie which recently won an award at the Göteborg International Film Festival in Sweden has received a fair amount of media airplay even featuring on prime time news. Unfortunately the plot features a dalliance with a witchdoctor , a stereotype that often portrays  Africans as being overly mesmerized with the occult. For this i fault the movie.For a comprehensive Soul Boy movie review i find this Daily Nation Article insightful !


On the other hand without doubt the cinematography is not your usual cup of tea but quite an advancement in the region. Soul Boy was filmed by the Kenyan-Ghanaian Hawa Essuman in collaboration with the German director Tom Tykwer.The main cast in the movie is 14 year old Samson Odhiambo playing the character Abila and his Girlfriend Shiku played by Leila Dayan Opou  . To view the movie locally kindly visit the Silverbird website for the Soul Boy Showtime movie listing.

Golden Globe Awards 2010 Winners List

The James Cameron Epic Movie Avatar  was yesterday night voted as the Best Motion Picture -Drama movie in the Golden Globe Awards. The various winners list is available at the Golden Globe Awards Website. In the Television and Drama series nomination pool "Mad Men" stole the thunder.The Golden Globe Awards are held by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association with main portion the proceeds going to philanthropic purposes.

I am going through the list to see whether i concur with the awards.

Will Jada Pinkett Smith Play the Role Of Michelle Obama?

A Barrack Obama Movie -the question is not will it happen- but when? And who will play the role of Michelle Obama.Well people have already started talking but the question is can the phenomenal woman Jada Pinkett Smith play the role ? She says she cant because of the height issue but at least as you can see from the photo she fits the style, fashion, elegance and bill! She also must remember such a movie would be a grand privilege that would go straight into the reputable annals of history!

Holding on to that thought; Kenya's Finance Minister Hon.Uhuru Kenyatta's recent Budget speech 2009/2010 announced some tax free incentives for the movie industry, film makers both local and international.It seems to suggest that he is seeing these developments and packaging Kenya well in advance to attract such a shoot in Barrack's father home yard-Kogelo! Son of Kenyatta is a think tank, dont under estimate!

Heatwave Celebrity Cruise

Dance Flick The Movie !

You just have to give it up to the Wayan Brothers when it comes to comedy.Dance Flick the Movie which was released on 22 May 2009 is simply hilarious making a mockery of much of the African American Dance competition movies like "Stomp the yard""Bring It On""Step Up", "Got Served" ...etc that have hit the movie screens of late.The movie is Directed by Damien Dante Wayans and written by Keenen Ivory , Shawn,Craig,& Marlon Wayans.


The plot revolves around Megan (Shoshanna Bush) who desires to go to Juilliard and become a dancer, who due to some tragic circumstances has to move to a public school where she meets up with Thomas (Damon Wayans Jr.)Tracy (Chelsea Makela), Charity (Essence Atkins), who dance in a street dance gang.The movie will keep you laughing especially when caning black stereotypes!Dance flick is simply a must watch movie!15% off perfume

Otto-The BloodBath Horror Movie

By banning the Jitu Films production Movie entitled "Otto -The Bloodbath" horror movie the Kenya Film and Censorship Board effectively made it a best seller.Many people are searching online to purchase the movie that is set to premier at Oxford University next week and later at the Rwanda Film Festival! What is perhaps fascinating is that the foreign market is readily embracing a movie that has been banned locally for allegedly being "too horrific even for an adult "& "having too much blood scenes", further the movie was said to feature too much "dead human characters"(see Daily Nation Article)

Now that's the Kenyan Censorship board for you.....but whats the Kenyan public take on it?I am much interested to read the opinion of the public on a movie that was set to be Kenya's first horror movie!Is the Kenyan Censorship Board accurate on its appraisal of the Joseph Kinyua movie?

The plot of the movie is about a family torn between selling off their fathers land against the patriarch’s wishes.The children of the man's first wife refuse to obey his wish and decide to bury him at the Langata Cemetery in Nairobi so that they can kick the second wife and her mute son out and enjoy the proceeds. That s when the horror begins....(for a sneak preview of the video here is a facebooklink)

I-See-You.Com( The Movie)

I-See-You. Com the movie is particurlarly hilarious(movie rating-ADULT) .What perhaps the movie highlights is the growing interest by many to view reality tv or unedited happenings of real life affairs. The cast of the movie include Mathew Botuchis (Colby)in the movie playing the role of son of Lydia(Rossana Arquette) and stepson of toilet seller Harvey Bellinger(played by Beau Bridges) .Colby obssesed with eavesdropping on his stepsister Audrey Bellinger( played by Baelyn Neff) implants spy cams in her bedroom and broadcasts the same on the internet! Her raunchy activities generates hits for the website I-SEE.YOU.COM generating income of $17,000 a week whereas the family is experiencing financial difficulties!

To generate more sales Colby decides to put up a webcam in all the rooms thereby leaving the families randy affairs exposed to the whole world.Overnight they become online celebrities.Enventually they come to know about it but are infurriated -however due to the financial enticements they decide to play along!To make it more interesting they hire a sexy looking italian macho man cook named Ciro(Victor Alfieri) who makes both mother and daughter go crazy.All this finally gets to Harvey Bellinger, the dad who cant take it no more....

The movie is 93 minutes long Directed by Eric Steven Stahl and was released on DVD on 16 September, 2008 makes for a good laugh if you can stomach it! (you can buy it on amazon by clicking on the below poster)