The Kenya Film Commission yesterday, August 23rd, 2019 awarded winners of the second edition of My Kenya My Story mobile film competition in a dinner gala that was held at Sarova Stanley Hotel in Nairobi.
The winning film “The Loss” was written by David Waronja and directed by James Matere. In “The Loss”, a young woman fights internal conflict birthed from the admiration she has for her friends who flaunt their perfect lives on social media. Catherine does odd jobs to get money and be like her friends on Instagram. When her mother gets sick, she bets her day’s hustle and wins money to pay for her mother’s hospital bills. Unfortunately, the mother passes on and the family is left in debt. By then, Catherine is already addicted to betting.
The first runners up was “My Bad”. Directed by Philip Muoki, a 19-year old filmmaker, “My Bad” is about a girl haunted by trauma and self-blame after her brother’s death. The film starred actress Julie Brenda as Winnie, the traumatized girl.
The second runners up went to “Escape”. The film highlights how close friend and relatives overlook appeals for help from victims of depression. It features Jabali, who resorts to ‘escape’ after efforts to share his mental state with friends proves futile.
The jury also recognized “Numb”, “Pear”, “Checkered” and “Utando the Web” for the commendable message they presented. “Utando the Web” won the jury mentions.
This year’s edition, which was also the second, was themed “Mental Health and Wellness”.
