THROWBACK INTERVIEW: WANURI ON WANGARI MAATHAI’S BIOGRAPHY

I did this interview with Wanuri Kahiu some years back, like in 2009 when she was working on a documentary for M-Net.

Filmmaker Wanuri Kahiu is currently working on a new M-Net series called Great Africans where they choose different leaders from around the continent and get filmmakers to tell their stories.

Wanuri is “focusing on one significant moment of Wangari Maathai’s life and how that moment was influenced by different memories, in addition, how other people speak of her will be used as her memory," she said, "It’s like a collection of memories, an album.”

This will make Wanuri, the first Kenyan to do a documentary on the Nobel Laureate winner. “It’s intimidating, I was really scared because I really want more than anything to be able to tell a beautiful story about Wangari Maathai. Something that will inspire people the same way I was inspired when I read her book,” adding, “I’m a tree girl myself, I’m passionate about Eco lifestyle, what she does inspires me.”So far, she is doing interviews "but the professor is really really really busy so whatever she can accommodate we are 120% ready for her."

Other personalities who are featured in the show include Nelson Mandela, Kwame Nkurumah, Julius Nyerere, Patrick Lumumba and Wole Sonyika.

The documentary was aired on M-Net on April 5, 2009.

CALLING ALL FILMAKERS: AMAA COMING TO NAIROBI

Africa Film Academy invites Kenyan filmmakers to submit their feature, short, and documentary works for consideration by the 7th African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA or AMAA Awards), the Premier Africa Film Awards.
AMAA is calling for nominations from the public and stakeholders in the film industry for winners in nearly 30 film categories. The deadline for all submissions is December 30, 2010; a late entry deadline is January 7, 2011. Nominations will be announced in Kenya in February 2011. Submission forms can be downloaded from the Awards Web site.


Lead actor in Hawa Essuman's Soul Boy.

The 7th edition of the AMAAs will be held in April 2011 and will be televised globally. Only films produced and released between December 2009 and December 2010 may be entered for this celebration of African cinema.
The African Movie Academy Awards were founded in 2005. Held annually in Nigeria, the AMAAs is without doubt becoming the most prestigious and glamorous African entertainment industry event of its kind on the continent. Evolving from a one day event -- televised live -- to a diarized annual African event, the AMAA Awards are now an established engagement platform for filmmakers, industry professionals and all creative industry stakeholders.


Hawa Essuman

The primary aim of the AMAA Awards is to facilitate the development and showcase the social relevance of African film and cinema. The awards are presented to recognize and honor the excellence in professionals in the African film industry, including directors, actors and writers, as well as at to unite the African continent through arts and culture.