Kibera Kid

 

As part of the continuing series on African Filmmaking, we look at a film that’s made acclaim in both filmmaking and development in Nairobi’s Kibera Slum.

We’re looking at Kibera Kid this time. A short film revolving around the choices that people have in Kibera, and one young boy’s choice to change his fate.

Otieno, a twelve year old orphan living in Kibera, Kenya, Africa’s largest slum,  lives with the Razors gang, his substitute family.  Otieno has to choose between a life of crime or redemption. KIBERA KID was shot entirely on location in Kibera, with a cast from Kibera. KIBERA KID has won seven international awards, including the prestigious student EMMY, has been screened at 38 international film festivals and has been featured by media throughout the world.

 

Nathan Collett, the film’s Writer/Director/Co-Producer studied African History at Stanford University, California, USA and completed his Post-Graduate degree in Film Production (MFA) at the University of Southern California Film School. Nathan was a Fulbright scholar (2006-2007), researching storytelling in Nairobi slums.

From this, he founded Hot Sun Films and it’s non-profit arm Hot Sun Foundation, both located in Kibera in Nairobi, Kenya. Hot Sun Foundation started the Kibera Film School to train youth in all aspects of filmmaking. Through filmmaking and cultural exchange, Nathan hopes to change the world’s impressions of Africa. And so far, with the progress Togetherness Supreme is making, they’re getting there.

Hot Sun Films is currently producing the follow up the 12 minute short, Kibera Kid. The first-ever feature film made in Kibera, TOGETHERNESS SUPREME, a story of hope and reconciliation. It’s a fictional feature film made through screenwriting workshops with over 50 young residents of Kibera and examines the events related to the 2008 post-election violence. It’s positive message and unique approach are sure to bring it success similar to the 7 Awards that Kibera Kid was awarded including a 2007 Student Emmy for Best Children’s Film. It’s also been covered extensively by Reuters and The BBC.

A Teaser for the film is out on Youtube and you can keep up with Hot Sun Films on Youtube here

The film’s cast all come from the Kibera Slum and are a part of the Hot Sun Foundation’s initiatives to bring sustainable development projects to Kibera. So far, they’ve kept a pretty detailed log of how things have been going as far as the filming and production of the film on their About Page. They’re shooting on a RED Camera, they’re the only ones at the moment with the RED One camera in East Africa. The first Kenyan film to be shot on a RED was Judy Kibinge’s short film The Killer Necklace a couple years ago.

A great film and an awesome initiative, it’s amazing to see this kind of dedication to developing Kibera, which will finally be known for something other than what’s been making the news recently: Slum Tourism. I can’t wait to watch Togetherness Supreme and all the other films that will come from the Kibera Film School.