Schools and colleges showcase film talent at national festival

KFCB CEO Ezekiel Mutua gives a trophy to Dr Zipporah Okoth of Kenyatta University Department of Film and Theatre Arts for the overall winning film in the universities’ category on June 25, 2017. Over 200 educational institutions were awarded with trophies and certificates. PHOTO | ANTHONY NJAGI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The red carpet event went down on Sunday at the Kenyatta University Amphitheatre.
  • The event is meant to raise the profile of institutions that produce films.
  • It also introduces students to a professional red carpet award in which their efforts are recognised.

It was all pomp and colour at the 2017 edition of the Kenya Schools Colleges and University Film Festival Awards.

The red carpet event went down on Sunday at the Kenyatta University Amphitheatre.

Actors, producers, film makers, film lecturers and who-is-who in the industry made an appearance at the awards’ ceremony.

The event was attended by, among other, Mr Ezekiel Mutua the CEO of the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) who awarded prizes to over 200 winners.

RAISE PROFILE

The event is meant to raise the profile of institutions that produce films while at the same time introducing the students to a professional red carpet award in which their efforts are recognised.

The event was organised by Kenyatta University through its Department of Film and Theatre Arts is collaborating with the Ministry of Education through its Kenya National Drama and Film Committee, and the University of Nairobi.

In 2012, The Kenya National Drama Committee organised and launched the first ever Kenya Schools, Colleges and Universities Film Festival.

This was conceived as a platform to tap into the talent and showcase films produced by educational institutions in Kenya.

At that time, about 60 screen items in various genres were screened.

FORMIDABLE FESTIVAL

The film festival for educational institutions has grown in leaps and bounds to form a formidable festival that was witnessed in Kisumu in April.

This year’s edition of the festival had over 300 submissions of screen items that were screened and judged in a record eight days and attracted an audience of over 2,000 people.

This was a powerful statement by the Association of the Film Producing Institutions in Kenya (AFPEIK).

The students who are the key stakeholders in the festival and who invest in the planning and the general execution of film production are rarely recognised.

“As a film regulator I am particularly passionate about efforts geared towards promoting creative arts in the country.

“This is an area full of opportunities for young people to create jobs and establish lucrative careers,” Mr Mutua said.

He thanked AFPEIK and Kenyatta University for organising the event whose aim is to celebrate talented youth.

GREAT POTENTIAL

The film industry has a great potential to be a leading contributor to the country’s GDP by creating employment opportunities for the youth, he said.

“Currently, Kenya’s film industry generates Sh7.2 billion every year, creating direct and indirect jobs for more than 100,000 people, according to the Pan-African Federation of Filmmakers’’ he said.

‘’Our principal mandate as a board is to regulate content to promote Kenya’s culture and morality. We have a duty as a government agency to ensure there is clean and positive content that tells the positive story of our great country,’’ Mr Mutua said.

He added, ‘’we are working closely with stakeholders in the film industry, including learning institutions, to encourage production of more local content that celebrates our rich cultural heritage.”

WINNERS

The following were the winners in the 2017 Edition of the Kenya Schools Colleges and University Film Festival Awards.

Overall winning Film – Elimu Academy

1st Runners up – Gillgil Hills Academy

2nd Runners up – Naivasha Boarding Primary School

Best documentary - Nairobi Primary School

1st runners up – Karura School

2nd runners-up – Elimu Academy

Technical Training Institutions

Overall Winning Film – Kenya National Coast Polytechnic

1st runners-up – Kenya Institute of Mass Communication

Overall winning Feature Film – Kenya Institute of Mass Communication

Techers training colleges

Overall winning film – Embu TTC

University category

Overall winning film – Kenyatta University