From February 22 to March 1, 2026, Kitale Film Week returns for its fourth edition, celebrating stories that shape a shared future. This year’s festival brings together filmmakers, audiences, and changemakers to explore powerful themes of Human Rights, Nature & Wildlife, and Climate Change. With screenings, discussions, and youth-led programs across Kitale, the festival continues to grow as a vibrant hub for cinematic excellence, learning, and cultural exchange in the heart of Trans Nzoia.
With numerous submissions across the continent, we wanted to satisfy your curiosity with a preview of what’s to come before the festival qualifiers announcement on December 6th.
“Malooned!” is a Kenyan film directed by Bob Nyanja, released in 2007. It was showcased at the Balafon Film Festival in Bari and the 28th Festival di Cinema Africano di Verona, where it received several awards from an official jury that included Annamaria Gallone, Farah Polato, Esoh Elamé, Martin Mhando, and Emmanuel Mbaide. The film also won the Silver Dhow at the Zanzibar International Film Festival in 2007 and the Jury Prize at the Kenya Film Festival.
The film highlights the prejudices and stereotypes present among various ethnic groups in Kenya.
“A Thousand Ways to Face Change” is a musical narrative short drama that follows Lutalo as she grapples with her role as the third wife of Paul. Paul is determined to have children after failing to conceive with his first two wives. In an effort to resolve this issue, he decides to become a strict Christian, which leads him to the decision to stay with only one wife.
“Dahomey” is a documentary film directed by Mati Diop, set to be released in 2024. The film presents a dramatized account of 26 royal treasures from the Kingdom of Dahomey, located in modern-day Benin, which were kept in a museum in France. It explores the process of how these artifacts were returned to Benin and captures the reactions of the Beninese people. The film is an international collaboration, produced by companies from France, Senegal, and Benin.
The film premiered at the main competition of the 74th Berlin International Film Festival, where it won the festival’s top award, the Golden Bear. It was released in theaters in France on September 11, 2024, by Les Films du Losange and received critical acclaim. Additionally, it was named one of the Top 5 Documentary Films of 2024 by the National Board of Review.
It was selected as Senegal’s entry for Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards, where it was shortlisted in two categories: Documentary Feature and International Feature.
For more information, visit Kitale Film Week
