Kenya is being well represented at the Cannes Film Festival 2018 by popular film director Wanuri Kahiu and his company Awali Entertainment Ltd, who, are behind the local film ‘Rafiki’ that has been a controversial topic in the past few weeks.
Another Kenyan is also making moves in the festival.
Shirleen Wangari, the former Tahidi High actress many knew as Shish, will be present at the event and among 20 other shortlisted filmmakers who will be pitching for a KSh 6 million funding from Samsung. Her script for the short film “The Dawn”, earned her the chance. The film will also be screened at the event which runs from May 8 to May 19 if she tops the other filmmakers.
“If we win the film also gets to be screened at Cannes. That would be something,” she told the Daily Nation.
“When I approached them they were very receptive and I am glad for their support. It is the first time they are sponsoring my trip. Last year, they sponsored me to acquire the materials I needed to pitch in South Africa.”
Kenya Film Classification Board paid for her trip to the event which is located in France. Wangari took director Jessie Kyalo to help in the pitching.
Her script Dawn gives a fictional story of what happened when life was almost wiped out in Kenya after a deadly heat wave and then a killer disease struck. Peter, a survivor, has to use all means to feed his pregnant wife after the apocalypse. Things, however, take a different turn after Peter meets Diana, another survivor, but ends up being infected with the disease leaving her to feed his wife.
