Kenya’s film industry continues to grow in leaps and bounds, and within that growth is the immense contribution made by female filmmakers. With works that have won acclaim both at home and abroad, women filmmakers are a central plank of Kenyan storytelling on screen.
A handbook articulating these inputs and seeking to situate scholarship, and contributions of women filmmakers in Kenya and global film studies was the subject of a recent three-day conference. ‘A Handbook of Women Filmmakers in Kenyan Cinema’ espouses diverse methodologies, critical tools and theoretical perspectives in interrogating women filmmakers in the country. The conference was also a rich networking platform for both scholars and industry stakeholders.
The book editors are Dr Charles Kebaya, senior lecturer at Machakos university and Dr Susan Gitimu, lecturer at Kenyatta University and awards director, Women in Film Awards (WIFA). The handbook was put together with the support of partners including WIFA, Beyond The Film (BTF) and The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), through the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). During the conference chapter, contributors presented their work before industry players and media, and received individual peer-to-peer feedback.
Among the chapter contributors were Wanjiru Kinyajui, a lecturer at Multi Media University and also one of the pioneering women filmmakers in Kenya. Others included Dr Fred Mbogo of Technical University of Kenya, Suki Wanza and Dr Zippy Okoth from KCA University, Dr Jackie Ojiambo of Machakos University, Dr Simon Otieno of University of Nairobi and Grace Kerongo of Nation Media Group.
The handbook is set to be officially launched during next year’s WIFA.
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