Take 5 with Ngwatilo Mawiyoo

Ngwatilo Mawiyoo made her debut as a writer/director and producer with her short film, ‘Joy’s Garden’ in 2021.

She received a Docubox production grant for it. The film had its World Premiere at Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF) in 2021. Its lead, Melvin Alusa, won the award for Best Actor. Ngwatilo is also a respected poet and performer, the author of two poetry collections, ‘Blue Mothertongue’ and ‘Dagoretti Corner’.

She has twice been shortlisted for the Brunel University African Poetry Prize and twice nominated for a Pushcart Prize. In 2016, Ngwatilo received her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia.

1. The world of applying for grants can be a bit complicated. How, as a writer and filmmaker, do you navigate that? Is there a WhatsApp group? What do you think people need to know as they apply?
I'm definitely on the journey trying to learn the ins and outs of this as well. Please add me to the WhatsApp group too!
What I've observed from people experiencing far more success is there's relentlessness in the searching; it also requires and rewards generosity.

Often you find things that aren't relevant to the particular area you're working in – and it's great use of energy to share it with someone for whom it may be more relevant.

That positive energy ricochets back at you one way or another.

2. Tell us about your film and why you decided to make it. Where can we see it?
Joy's Garden is a short film about a little girl who sets out to recreate her old garden when she arrives at her estranged father's bachelor pad, wrecking his comfortable home life.
You hear a lot about absent or unavailable dads. Women know or are made to feel that they have to transform into motherly figures when they have children.

Others have spoken about that pressure. I wanted to see what it might look like for the most ill-equipped "cheers baba" to learn to show up for his child.

Picture the dude who has a child somewhere; he hasn't seen her for the last year. Perhaps he sends money for upkeep once in a while. That's the person the child in my story has left in the world, and he has to find it in himself to show up.

The second thing is the idea of a garden in the film also represents a type of magic, the enchantment of a child, and how she can enchant and create the world she needs, even in her dad. I wanted the film to walk that line. In the spirit of sharing opportunities, I made it after receiving a 2,500 $ micro-production grant from Docubox East Africa Film Fund. They have these types of opportunities every so often.
The film just had its world premiere at Zanzibar International Film Festival in July. It showed at the Almagro International Film Festival in Spain at the beginning of August. So it's travelling at the moment. In Nairobi, it showed at a recent Shorts, Shorts and Shots screening (by Docubox). But as the situation in the country improves, I hope to have a screening in an actual Nairobi cinema.
3. It must be exhausting to always be asked when the next volume of poetry is coming out (but your poetry is so great, we can't help it!). What made you foray into film and create in this different way? And...will there be another poetry volume…
I used to do a lot of acting, so I suppose the TV and film bug bit me back then.

For some reason, though, I haven't been writing roles for myself to play. I've just been craving some different stories.
If I compare my poetry and film work, I think the motivation is the same. Still, the medium allows for a different set of possibilities. It's not been easy by any means; I'm like a child all over again, learning and growing and occasionally sitting in puddles.
There will be another poetry volume. I have to get better at multi-tasking. I've been working on a short collection of love poems. I was hoping to get it out by the end of the year – we'll see how that goes.

4. How important were prizes and being nominated for prizes to you in your career? Are they important overall for writers?
They are a double-edged sword. They exist; one makes one's peace with that, because they function as reader discovery, as a way for creatives to acknowledge each other, and as a way to distribute resources. They are also good for bragging rights - for instance, I don't mind letting you know that my lead, Melvin Alusa won the Best Actor prize at ZIFF! He also plays lead in [the new film] MISSION TO RESCUE.
I think as long as one's identity isn't wrapped up in awards and they're not getting in the way of your impetus to create then that's fine. It's damaging when we get the idea that only "award-winning" so-and-sos are worth our time. As a Kenyan poet, there aren't many Kenyan or African awards to vie for. Does that mean Kenyan poets don't exist and aren't working and thinking in their communities? Not in the least. Perhaps the structure of the poetry industry here doesn't look like it does in markets where awards are more prevalent. What would such an award mean for readers, for prospective award winners? What would it enable or disable?
I've appreciated the acknowledgement I've received when shortlisted or even simply published or reviewed. Sometimes it's about trying to find a piece of work for the best possible platform. 

5. Is there any other film you're burning to make?
I've been developing a new short film set in Ukambani about a young woman forced to heal a rift with her dead grandfather, a rift as old as she is. I'm excited about it and working with Barbara Minishi and Ivy Kiru as Director and Producer, respectively. We're hoping to secure some funding soon, and I'm excited about the idea of making a film predominantly in Kikamba. Send Kamba speaking actors and prospective actors my way!