Use local films to talk about the issues that Kenyans face

A couple watches a film inside a cinema hall.

Photo credit: Shutterstock

What you need to know:

  • To watch this film, people who were strangers agreed to sit close to one another.
  • Kenyan films are equally good and have found their way to the international stage. 

Whenever films are released, Kenyans flock to cinemas to watch them.

What if we used the same love for films to talk about things that bother us as a society?

To curb the spread of Covid-19, the government ordered businesses, churches and schools closed. In the process, cinemas were hit.

When the President reopened the economy, cinemas started screening again and I decided to use my free time to discover Kenya’s rich film industry.

My recent visit to the cinemas was thanks to a ticket give-away, which have been used an incentive to lure Kenyans back into the cinemas.

I got two tickets, which meant that I could invite another person with me. When we went, there was not much activity in the lounging area. We literally had the cinema to ourselves, and I understand because people are still afraid of gatherings because of the virus.

I could see from everyone’s face how excited they were. We were all thrilled to watch the blockbuster, “Tenet”, that was released this year.

Deep-seated emotions

However, even though there were only a handful of moviegoers, I noticed something — cinemas can bring people together. To watch this film, people who were strangers agreed to sit close to one another.

Inside the cinema hall, people fell silent as they watched every move of the actors. When there was suspense, they were collectively quiet.

Every now and then, you could see them would whisper to one another scene after scene, without fighting. This was not strange because films — just like music — arouse deep-seated emotions. At least, that is what I always feel.

I imagine that if the same could be used to address societal issues and get people to talk about matters that affect us a country, we would make a lot of progress.

Kenyan films are equally good and have found their way to the international stage.  “Softie” by Boniface Mwangi is a good example.

What if there were celebrity give-aways to get Kenyans to think about what those films are saying the same way we get excited about foreign films?