Riverwood film industry kenya

Hollywood has inspired film industries worldwide to adopt nicknames based on. Also the kenya film classification board has made it possible for riverwood to go across the country carrying out training and initiatives to support local artists and producers to enable them get the required skills and knowledge about the film industry. But when postelection violence hit kenya in 2008, the industry. A surprising finding is the extent to which south africa has risen to dominate cinema in kenya since the end of apartheid. Deadly wahala what i liked most about this short film was the unexpected ending. Riverwood, named after river road, the dusty, crowded street where the films are sold, is the hub of the countrys fledgling movie industry. Its award season once again and our 254s film industry championed by riverwood academy is ready to award film makers and all personnel pushing the culture forward. When we talk about all the good things the film industry is doing to many people it is unfortunate actors in kenya are not benefitting from this. The who is who in the kenyan film industry attended the red carpet event that saw new names emerge winners. This is kenyas own fledgeling centre of vcd production, which is quickly gaining the name riverwood, and popularity in homes in nairobi and other towns. All this was a prelude to getting into film, and the birth of riverwood.

This is kenya s own fledgeling centre of vcd production, which is quickly gaining the name riverwood, and popularity in homes in. Riverwood academy announces its 2018 nominees kenyanvibe. King kaka strongly asserts there is no favouritism in. Provision of monitoring and evaluation for kenya film commission. Despite the scarcity of highend production equipment and structures to support the kenyan film industry, riverwood, kenya s film industry hub spanning the streets of tom mboya, luthuli, accra and river road, has grown into a multimillion shilling sector, with in excess of sh300 million transacted weekly in the production and distribution of local audiovisual content. I want the film industry in kenya to thrive like nollywood and hollywood. The industry is still struggling for greater acceptance from the government, which is finally considering a plan to give riverwood a seat on the kenya film commission.

According to leona, kenyan directors and film producers always use the same faces for all projects, be it local or international, something that has slowly been killing the industry. Riverwood movieofficial uploaddirected by paul njihia,original screenplay by paul njihia. Production for the impressive footprint they have left in kenya s film industry. There are many film industry woods besides hollywood and bollywood, the big two. The cinema of kenya refers to the film industry of kenya. Mwaniki mageria, ceo for riverwood ensemble filmmakers association speaks about the film industry in kenya, its challenges and where he sees it in the next few years. At independence, kenya had very minimal film production expertise, leave alone. The riverwood academy announced the 2018 nominees at alliance francaise and also unveiled that kenya classification board will be the official sponsors. Bollywood, pollywood, tollywood, and more film industry.

The movie industry seems set to expand the countrys creative. Kisumu city to host riverwood academy awards gala 2018. Riverwood puts kenyan film on the map saturday march 11 2017 mwaniki mageria is the man of the moment as the fourth edition of the riverwood academy awards takes place today at the kenya national. Filamu kenya is partnering with various stakeholders in the industry to give kenyan film a voice and enable kenyans to tell their story in their way. It was at this time that njeri karago made the film dangerous affair, directed by judy kibinge,that captured the imagination of many filmmakers in going for independent, nonngo funded, feel good films that deal with contemporary urban. By the middle of the decade, riverwood was producing 150200 films a year. The 3rd riverwood awards winners ceremony took place on saturday 12th march 2016 at the kenya national museum. Redcarpet affair at the third riverwood awards gala. While a new generation of african talent claims its space on the global stage, the infrastructure to support the industry is also growing. The event is organised by riverwood ensemble, a coming together of over 200 film producers from all over kenya. Riverwood puts kenyan film on the map saturday march 11 2017 mwaniki mageria is the man of the moment as the fourth edition of the riverwood academy awards takes place today at the kenya. The riverwood academy awards started with a premier gala on 15 march 2014 at alliance francais nairobi kenya. The sale of riverwood dvds is on the rise, kenya s first gangster movie, nairobi half life, is in the running for an. Riverwood puts kenyan film on the map daily nation.

The setting up of a kenyan schools, colleges and universities film festival indicates a bright future for the kenyan film industry. But with only a few hundred dollars per film, riverwood magnates are struggling to bring some recognition to the grubby road and kenyas burgeoning film industry. Kenya s low cost film industry dubbed riverwood after nairobis river road area has flourished in recent years, but is still dwarfed by nigerias nollywood. The study makes many recommendations, including the improvement of. And with nollywood as a model, the markets in kenya, tanzania and uganda are being called riverwood referring to the riverroad in nairobi, darwood. Njagah has acted in longrunning soap opera, tinsel, as the character tare duke. The riverwood awards show was founded by mwaniki mageria in 2014 with the aim of recognizing film producers and actors who tell real kenyan stories. Business is booming relatively speaking for the kenya film industry. It is time to support kenyan creatives, to tell our stories our way the. Although a very small industry in western comparison, kenya has produced or been a location for film since the early 1950s when men against the sun was filmed in 1952. The riverwood film industry is worth an estimated sh100 million.

The third riverwood awards ceremony took place on saturday at the kenya national museum. The producers are self funded people making 100% homegrown kenyan film. The riverwood awards were launched in 2014 and are organised by the riverwood ensemble. Eva mbuni, the corporate communication officer at the kenya film classification board kfcb tells pulse that riverwood is so far the largest film production unit in the country, several short. The awards will be at the national museum, louis leakey auditorium. The riverwood awards, kenya s annual film awards, went down in nairobi on saturday night at a ceremony where glamour and.

These are films, are the ones made for the local video film market and have increased rapidly in the last few years. Filamu kenya magazine highlights kenyas film industry business. Ironically though, many of these woods are in heavily populated parts of cities, where there are alas not enough trees to make a garden, let alone any woods. The new east african filmmaking riverwood and beyond. This article analyses the economic structure, market dynamics and power relations in kenyas riverwood movie circuit. Although a very small industry by western comparison, kenya has produced or been a location for film since the early 1950s when men against the sun was filmed in 1952. This is made possible through riverwood academy awards which was launched on 26 th of february, 2014 at the kenya. Riverwood comprises of over 200 film producers all over kenya and employers of over 4000 youths who decided to come together and recognize the players in the film industry in kenya. The kenyan film industry continues gaining momentum with the third edition of the riverwood academy awards going down today. Americans have hollywood, indians bollywood, nigerians nollywood and kenyans riverwood.

The data is only saved locally on your computer and never transferred to us. Kenya has developed its film industry, riverwood, based in river road, nairobi, to take advantage of the countrys upcoming talent. At balozi, we had started marketing films of uptown film makers, at some point with mary migwi of sisimka productions. For instance in the united states an actor is paid two million kenya shillings in just a single movie. Making films in just two days, entire series in just weeks, kenyas film industry is taking off at a rapid pace.

We are planning to partner with kenya film commission, kenya film classification board, riverwood, and brand kenya to tell the kenyan story from an insiders perspective, adds mr ndone. In 1932, the film industry based in bengal, india, adopted the name tollywood, the first such hollywoodinspired nickname. Riverwood business model transacts ksh 300 million weekly. Lizz njagah, one of kenya s leading tv and film actresses, has been active in both industries. Burgeoning film industry in nairobis own riverwood. Mburu kimanis the race earned an award at the inaugural kalasha awards kenyas tv and film awards for best riverwood film.

Riverwood academy awards is an annual awards gala ceremony that was established in 2014 by riverwood ensemble filmmakers association secretariat as a commemoration ceremony to bring together the entire film stakeholders and players of the film and television industry in a glamorous cocktail and red carpet event to recognize and appreciate best. Filamu kenya magazine highlights kenyas film industry. Academics in kenya film industry, riverwood, kenyan film. Here are eight kenyan short films on that are worth checking out. Kannywood refers to the hausalanguage film industry of northern nigeria, based in kano. Personalities in the kenyan film industry attended to witness the awarding of their peers in the different categories. The riverwood awards, kenya s annual film awards, went down in nairobi on saturday night at a ceremony where glamour and surprises ruled. Like bollywood and hollywood, how many other woods are. The event was organized by the riverwood ensemble and attended by the kenyan film industry stakeholders.

The awards come after the communications authority ca through an amendment in the kenya information and communications act. This decade has seen the film industry in kenya make tremendous strides in providing quality content to the local and international markets through individual filmmakers efforts who have since made possible the spawning of the riverwood industry. Kenya s riverwood a rapid film production industry at river road, a bustling commercial avenue in the heart of nairobi has followed a similar route. I want to see people making a good living out of it. If this was kenya it would be nick mutuma and brenda wairimu only she captioned the retweet. The kenya film commission kfc is a state corporation under the ministry of ict. Wakaliwood refers to the film studio in wakaliga, kampala. Riverwood has become synonymous with film production in kenya, thanks to its constant supply of short films. View academics in kenya film industry, riverwood, kenyan film on academia.

Kenyas riverwood hopes to make a splash on film scene. The film industry in uganda is still young and growing when compared to kenya, south africa or nigeria film industries. Although, in hollywood, jungle epics that were set in the country were shot in hollywood as early as the 1940s. But with only a few hundred dollars per film, riverwood magnates are struggling to bring some recognition to the grubby road and kenya s burgeoning film industry. Winners of 2017 riverwood awards pose with kfcb boss ezekiel mutua. Kampala has six highend cinemas, mainly in the city centre and there are over 1,000 video halls and libraries in kampala alone, mostly in the city centre and downtown locations.