The competition promotes the use of affordable smart phones rather than “high-end equipment” to expand the scope of film production in Kenya.
By Helena Olori
Kenya Film Commission has called for entries for the 6th edition of #MyKenyaMyStory mobile phone film competition scheduled to hold on 9th June 2023.
Themed “Promoting peace, tolerance and conflict resolution,” the competition will focus on short films shot exclusively on mobile phones, and is one of the commission’s initiatives aimed at growing Kenya’s film industry through the application of affordable technology in telling stories.
(Read also: Uganda Communications Commission Launches Regional Short Film Competition)
Meanwhile, the Kenya Film Commission in partnership with GIZ, will host a regional film screening events scheduled to hold on 28th and 30th of April 2023, at the Marsabit Stadium, Marsabit county, and the Nyeri Cultural Centre, Nyeri county, respectively. The series of events tagged #ReelCountyFilmFestival 2023 will showcase the best of Kenyan productions in across major counties in the East African nation, and is also part of the commission’s activities to attract investment and expand the film industry.
In 2020, the commission set up a Film Empowerment Programme to help boost the film production value chain in Kenya. Safari and Bangarang are some of the successful beneficiaries.
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The mobile phone film competition offers a total cash prize of five hundred thousand Kenyan Shillings (Ksh 500,000) which will be awarded to the winner, first two runners-up, and the jury’s mention.
Emerging and aspiring filmmakers in Kenya can submit their 3-5 minute film clips shot on a smart phone in English or any Kenyan language with English subtitles to the commission’s official email (mkms@filmingkenya.go.ke) on or before 12 May 2023. Submissions must be in English or any other Kenyan Language subtitled in English and be classified by Kenya Film Classification Board.
Can we submit many films?