Short Films

Between 1909 and 1910, Theodore Roosevelt went on an expedition, exploring Kenya and East Africa with a team that consisted of a photographer (Kermit Roosevelt, Theodore’s son), wildlife filmmaker (Cherry Keaton), among other members of the presidential guard and scientists. While there is no first-hand account of how the expedition was planned, it is said that Roosevelt was a rather restless man and the decision to come to Africa to explore and hunt was possibly random.

It is from this year-long expedition that the first Kenyan film – albeit directed by British citizen Keaton – was produced. Though largely a depiction of Africa through American and European lenses, the film showcased the beauty of the landscape, the diversity of the wildlife, and the uniqueness of the people (the Maasai dances and daily life were recorded).

Since then there has been a significant change in the video quality – with thanks to technological advancements – and there have also been several opportunities for Kenyan storytellers to grasp in as far as telling our own stories.

The Voice of Kenya Training School was the first electronic engineering and technology institution set up in 1961. The school offered courses to the staff of Voice of Kenya. Later, it went through a major change, from name to administration, and became the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication. The new learning hub’s aim was to produce professional journalists and program producers as well as radio announcers and filmmakers. At the time, films shot in Kenya were primarily spearheaded by Europeans and Americans, but there was hope for Kenyans who were slowly but surely acquiring the skills to tarmac their own path.

Own paths came in the form of feature films, which this #KeFilm story campaign has so far highlighted, as well as documentaries and short films. Short films have particularly grown over time, with more upcoming filmmakers opting to create short films as their way of escorting themselves into the local film industry.

But not everybody knows what exactly a short film is and how different it is from a feature film. Think of a short story; it is still a story with a fully developed theme but significantly shorter than a novel. Think of a short film in the same way. A short film would typically run for 40 minutes or less, and therefore takes a significantly shorter time to film and produce in comparison to a feature film. Despite this restricted time frame, filmmakers are free to be as creative as possible, and there is no limit in the number of characters on screen.
Kenyan short films are increasing in number every year. Pumzi (2009), a 21-minute film directed by Wanuri Kahiu, took on the spotlight as one of the first celebrated short films and Kenya’s first science fiction film. The film has since been listed on IMDb. At the DocuBox Mzalendo edition (a screening of short Kenyan films), all theatre halls at Prestige Plaza were filled to capacity. Here, audiences were welcomed to a plethora of short stories. From comedy film Tithes and Offerings (2018) directed by Tony Koros, to Near Miss (2018) written and directed by Erick Muriuki. Millet (2019) by Lydia Matata stood out through its exploration of themes on family and religion, and Love Sweet Sound (2019) directed by Neha Manoj Shah delved into human experiences.

Beyond the Prestige Plaza Cinema halls, Kenyans have been enthralled and tickled by the 2018 historical-inspired comedy Wakamba Forever directed by John Jumbi and Alex Maina. This past January, lovers of film and film students from USIU Africa convened at Baraza Media Lab for the premiere of the short film Unbalanced, directed by Kelvin Osoo.

These Kenyan products are an assurance of the direction we are headed towards as both creators and consumers. We hope that #KeFilms will encourage budding filmmakers to get to action because we are ready to watch more feature films, documentaries and especially short films.