Kalasha film awards are finally here

By Emmanuel Mwendwa

Glamour and pomp are expected to mark the first Kalasha Film and Television Awards at the Carnivore tonight.

Public voting for best actors, actresses, comedians, filmmakers, scriptwriters and producers started last month.

Undoubtedly, this is the closest Kenya Film Commission has come to supporting the fledgling film industry.

Up for grabs are 11 awards on film category and a dozen others for local content-driven TV productions.

These include Best Leading and Supporting Actors and Actresses; Best Achievement in Cinematography, Directing, Editing; Best Feature Film, Documentary Feature; Best River Wood Film and Best Script Writer in Original Screen Play.

Same nominees

Favourite nominees in the above categories are Peter King (Formula X), Ken Ambani (From a Whisper), Mburu Kimani (The Race) and Godfrey Odhiambo (Malooned).

Given it is the first event, it is not a surprise the same nominees feature in most categories.

Melvin Alusa, who featured in Formula X is battling it out for Best Support Actor with Abubakar Mwenda (From a Whisper), Paul Njoka (By Any Means Necessary) and Peter Kinuthia (Unseen Unsung Unforgotten).

Contenders for Best Actress are Karen Lucas (Dance For Wives), Janet Kirina (Benta), Corine Onyango (From a Whisper), Nice Githinji (All Girls Together), Mama Njeri (Village Cassanova), Wambui Murima (Backlash), Mumbi Maina and Lydia Gitachu — both casts in Unseen Unsung Unforgotten. A keen observer is bound to single out specific films to dominate the awards — a glaring pointer to a struggling sector.

Unseen Unsung Unforgotten, From a Whisper, Formula X and Killer Necklace are pitted against each other for Best Cinematography award. Notably, three of these are joint nominees for Best Editing honours, alongside Uncovering the Media.

For Best Overall Film award, From a Whisper and Unseen Unsung Unforgotten feature again, but this time battling against Benta and Backlash.

The Best Scriptwriter in Original Screenplay category takes on a similar pattern, with Wanuri Kahiu (From a Whisper), Steve Ominde (Formula X), Mona Ombogo (Unseen Unsung Unforgotten) fighting it out with Cajetan Boy (Backlash).

‘Little controversy’

Kahiu and Ombogo/Njoki Mbuthia are contenders for Best Director. Also in this category are Judy Kibinge (Killer Necklace) and Robby Bresson (Help).

There is little doubt some controversy is bound to arise as the event gets under way.

"As emerging players seeking a footing in the industry, one wonders whether the exclusion of ‘older’ movies — some of which are faced with myriad challenges — was deliberate or the awards are tailored for recent productions," observes a River Wood low-budget filmmaker.

Three categories likely to spur heat are Best Short Film, Best Documentary Feature and Best River Wood Film honours.

Among the documentaries, the epic Mo & Me has featured in international film festivals. This gives it an edge over docu-dramas Unquiet, Uncovering the Media and A Voice in the Dark.

For the Short Film honours, The Killer Necklace could possibly face stiff challenge from Wale Watu, Zeinabu Rudi Nyumbani and Dance For Wives.

Shoe-string budget

Down River Road, where shoe-stringed budgets reign, the battle between Machangi, Family Betrayal, The Race and Village Cassanova for Best River Wood Film will be an interesting one to watch.

For the TV awards, several accolades are split across personalities local viewers are familiar with. For instance, household names such as Charles Bukeko aka Papa Shirandula and Churchill Live’s Daniel Ndambuki are frontrunners with four nominations each for Best Performance in the comedy category. Veteran actors Benson Wanjau aka Ojwang (Vitimbi) and Davis Mwambili (Inspekta Mwala) may not pose as much challenge as they would have a few years ago.

Nominees for Best Comedy Programme are Vitimbi, Papa Shirandula, Vioja Mahakamani and Churchill Live.

Stiff competition

Papa Shirandula, also a nominee for Best Actor in TV Series award, faces stiff competition from Tahidi High’s Joseph Kinuthia aka Omosh, Tony Njuguna (Makutano Junction) and Mother-in-Law’s Arabon Osanya.

Jackline Nyaminde (Wilbroda), Elizabeth Wanjiru (Charity-Shosh), Linet Atieno (Hilda) and Lucy Wangui, who acts as the Judge in Vioja Mahakamani, are battling for Best Actress award.

The Best TV Drama category pits Better Days (off air since last year) against Tahidi High, Makutano Junction and Heart Beat FM.

Agenda Kenya, The Woman’s Show, Time Yetu and Hatua are contenders for Best Talk Show award. And perhaps the battle of titans is in the Best TV Producer category with Zorro Lukhwile (Churchill Live), Irene Mukonyoro (Makutano Junction), Tony Mwite (Wash & Set) and Catherine Wamuyu (Mother-in-Law) battling it out.

But even as a section of players in the local movie scene seek long-overdue recognition, the awards are undoubtedly a bold statement by the Government that the days of peddling outdated foreign content on our screens are gone.