From the Snows of Kilimanjaro to Nairobi Half Life: Over 50 years of film in Kenya

Abstract

This paper, traces the birth, growth and development of Kenyan voice in film since the dawn of film in the country to present. It further interrogates one Kenyan film with a view to establish the extent to which the Kenyan voice imbues Kenyan films with a unique vantage point when presented to the rest of the world. Thus, the question guiding the paper is ‘how has Kenyan film incorporated conventions of filmmaking and language that Cinema employ, while at the same time discerning and maintaining the indigenous, Kenyan voice and how has this been achieved over years. Finally, the conclusion reveals that after a period of over 50 years Kenyan films made by Kenyans redefine Kenya; telling Kenyan stories, reflecting the Kenyan life, culture, values and making statements about the Kenyan society without ‘aping’ westernized storylines which could demean the Kenyan culture.