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How to Turn Kenya’s Film Sector into an Industry

By Halima Abdi
Published June 9, 2018

Government representatives and players in the film sector joined hands in The Film Industry We Want gathering to explore ways and means of turning the sector into an industry. The two day meeting, held in Nairobi June 6-7, 2018, was organised by the Pan African Federation of Filmmakers (FEPACI)Kenya’s film sector is a sparkling place where many talents bloom and many important films have been shot; from the Oscar-winning OUT OF AFRICA to Netflix’s SENSE 8 and continues to contribute to the global film industry. In fact, during the 90th Academy Awards Ceremony in 2018, a film made in Kenya, WATU WOTE or All of Us in Kiswahili, was nominated for the short action film category.

But Kenya’s film sector is not without challenges and obstacles to be dealt with for it to flourish into a full-fledged and popular film industry. In a country in which Betway sports betting is so popular, what is it that makes another entertainment sector to struggle?

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Top Challenges to Kenya’s Film Sector
The question for the Kenyan film sector remains what is hindering its growth. Here are some of the challenges that need to be addressed for the sector to become a vibrant and sustainable industry:

  • The multiple award-winning OUT OF AFRICA is one of the many international films shot in KenyaLack of Capital
    Any good film requires a good investment. Since development is slow and investments remain low, the movie sector has less capital to produce films and hence cannot flourish. Moreover, quality films need more capital and higher budget and this is where the sector gets stuck
  • Creativity Isn’t Backed with Expertise
    Kenyan people have creativity galore. Yet, creativity is also a result of both knowledge and exposure – which is a difficult factor. In Kenya, the film sector has limited exposure to the creative world, which doesn’t help them use the latest technology that could do justice to the films. This, in return, means not many producers are interested in what they have to offer and hence get left behind

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  • It’s a Cold Market Out There
    The African market is not a hotbed for movies yet, and often, by the time the movies can do a good sale, it is considered outdated which is a bottleneck for Kenya’s film sector
  • Regulations are Often a Hindrance
    Filming regulations and policies are a major reason why many film industries or many genres of film are unable to get featured. The Kenyan film sector is not immune to this problem. Here, regulations are framed in such a way that they discourage local people from trying something new and creative

Players in Kenya's movie sector, including associations, guilds, independents and policymakers and regulators, have met in Nairobi for the final pushin transforming the sector into a well regulated, vibrant and sustainable industry.

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  • Piracy Remains an Issue
    Piracy is not only a challenge in the Kenyan film sector but also everywhere. However, since Kenya’s film sector is already in a struggling phase, piracy makes it more difficult for it to come out of the struggle and do something productive. How do you make sales when people just watch a pirated copy of your film online?

Players in Kenya's movie sector met with Government representatives in Nairobi to chart the way for a vibrant and sustainable film industry on June 6-7, 2018. The gathering was organised by the Pan African Federation of Filmmakers, FEPACI.What can be done
To deal with these challenges once for all, the government and players in the film sector need to join hands and speak with one voice. It is important to recognise the different talents and hone them to be successful. This, in turn, can also help the country’s economy to improve.

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