Two Kenyan films win at Durban FilmMart
Sunday August 06 2023
Cover illustration of the Kenyan film, Jua Kali. PHOTO | POOL
Two Kenyan films, Jua Kali and Boy Boi, have received accolades at the at the 2023 Durban FilmMart (DFM) in South Africa for depicting the true lifestyle in urban areas.
Released in 2022 and directed by Joash Omondi, Jua Kali is a short (18 minutes) fiction that tells the story of Diana and her colleagues, who skilfully perform their cleaning duties against the backdrop of their privileged Nairobi clients’ private struggles. But this kind of work also takes a toll on Diana’s body.
Boy Boi is an eight-episode 2D animated series about domestic adventures of Boi, a playful and imaginative six-year-old, along with his family, friends and a few unexpected guests.
Read: Kenyan feature film makes the cut to Durban party
Set in modern-day Nairobi, each episode takes an everyday family experience and filters it through the imagination of Boi, who turns them into fun, action-packed adventures.
The 14th edition of DFM, which took place from July 21 – 24, was held under the theme “African Constellations”. It featured 28 official projects, in addition to seven partner projects, offering attendees a diverse range of opportunities to engage and connect. With 44 industry sessions and 23 Talents Durban participants, DFM fostered a vibrant atmosphere of knowledge exchange and innovation.
The event attracted 70 influential decision-makers, both in the physical and online platforms, further enhancing the networking and collaboration prospects. The scale of the conference was inspiring, as 1018 delegates from 43 countries came together to take African cinema forward.
“The outstanding calibre of the physical programme presentations and film projects once again underscored the exceptional talent present on our continent,” said Magdalene Reddy, Director of the Durban FilmMart Institute.