Kenyas film industry with tosh gitonga nairobi half life director and george mulei film director subscribe to our youtube channel for more great videos. What immediately differentiates it from other local films and a lot of international films is how it casts an unforgiving realistic eye on the protagonists life and actions. Country kenya director david tosh gitonga screenwriter. This dynamic crime drama, director david tosh gitongas first film and kenyas official entry for the foreignlanguage film oscar, comes across. Something necessary is a film about a pivotal period in the life of anne, a woman struggling to rebuild her life after the civil unrest that swept kenya following the 2007 elections, claiming the life of her husband, the health of her son and leaving her isolated farm in ruins. Nairobi half life took me around the world as it debuted in several film festivals. Nairobi half life is one of the few kenyan features created during tom tykwers east african one fine day films project. In 2010 he enrolled in the one fine day film workshop, where he was selected to direct his first feature film nairobi half life under the supervision of tom tykwer. Video of nairobi half life script writer languishing in. Details about the series remain scanty for now but we have seen enough from the released trailer to.
Nairobi half life is director gitongas feature film debut. There he is robbed, jailed, and falls in with a gang of. He quickly understands why nairobi is nicknamed nairrobery as he is robbed of. The film was also screened at the durban film festival in south africa last july, before its nairobi premiere on 30 august 2012. He is seen carrying a sack with unkempt hair and clad in shabby clothes. Kenyan director david tosh gitonga is making his debut with nairobi half life 2012, the kenyan oscar submission. A young kid from rural kenya with dreams of moving to the city nairobi and becoming an actor. After launching a casting call for actors early last month, the. One cannot talk about film making in kenya and not mention gitonga. Nairobi half life does not boast an original premise. On the surface, the story of mwas, nairobi half lifes protagonist, could fit pretty snugly into a standard cinematic formula. Nairobi half life was produced courtesy of one fine day film workshops in the. Youve probably never been there, but you have a clear idea of what it.
Nairobi half life by tosh gitonga a young aspiring actor from upcountry kenya dreams of becoming a success in the big city. While the film is far from perfect, despite the lofty honor. I can safely say that my wait is over and nairobi half life delivers on this and more. Nairobi half life director wins award two film makers make it into kenyas top 40 under 40 list born in a small town in nanyuki, tosh is behind some of the biggest names in the kenyan film industry. Director david tosh gitonga, mentee of tom tykwer, whose one fine day film workshop financed this project, will forever have the distinction of directing kenyas first official submission to the academy awards for best foreign language film with his debut, nairobi half life. What begins with petty scams and minor drug deals, ends with more serious crimes.
Nairobi half life is a 2012 kenyan drama film directed by david tosh gitonga. Nairobi half life a david gitonga feature film africa. Tosh continued to work on several other productions as an assistant director. Personally, i found the film exceedingly entertaining thrilling, actually. He quickly understands why nairobi is nicknamed nairobbery as he is robbed of all his money and belongings and left alone in a city where he doesnt know a soul. In durban, nairobi half life star joseph wairimu, won the best actor award. Kenyas film industry with tosh gitonga nairobi half life director and george mulei film director. There are currently two videos available for the film, of which one and only one is a trailer, as listed below. The film was selected as the kenyan entry for the best foreign language oscar at the 85th academy awards, but did not make the final shortlist, and is the first time kenya has submitted a film in this category. In the video posted by a twitter user, matathia appears to be languishing in poverty. Nairobi half life tells the story of a young actor who has to fend for himself in the kenyan capital, nairobi, while trying to make his dream come true. Nairobi half life a david gitonga feature film showmax nairobi half life an aspiring actor moves to nairobi with big dreams of becoming a star but quickly discovers why the city of opportunity is nicknamed nairobbery.
Mukami njiru and mugambi nthiga in nairobi half life 2012. Does the nickname for nairobi nairobbery confirm your preconceived ideas about the city. A disturbing video of charles matathia, the man who wrote the script for the feature film nairobi half life has emerged. Nairobi film depicts crime and the city for the first time, kenya has a film in the hunt for an academy award for best foreign language film. A young aspiring actor from upcountry kenya dreams of becoming. When he is promised a chance of getting an audition in the capital city, nairobi. Nairobi half life is making waves on the international scene because it is authentic. A young, aspiring actor from upcountry kenya dreams of becoming a success in the big city. When corrupt police begin to threaten him, he has to decide between fast money and his dream. While tykwer and his one fine day film workshop, which sponsors an african film per year, oversaw the production. African stories on movie screens worldwide africa dw. Kenyas film industry with tosh gitonga nairobi half life director and george mulei film director by ktn news kenya. Afrika, mon amour 2006, malooned 2007, garden of eden 2007, the first grader 2009. An undated video of charles matathia, the man who cowrote the script for the 2012 blockbuster kenyan film nairobi half life, has emerged online and evoked the emotions of kenyans on twitter.
Video of disheveled nairobi half life scriptwriter on. Nairobi half life is a crime film driven by character, one that follows a poor boy from the village to the big city where he descends into a life of crime whilst simultaneously pursuing his dream of becoming an actor. Nairobi half life is a 2012 english film stars joseph wairimu, david tosh gitonga, billy kahora, potash charles matathia, samuel munene, serah mwihaki, olwenya maina, nancy wanjiku karanja, mugambi nthiga, paul ogola, antony ndungu, johnson gitau chege, kamau wa ndungu, abubakar mwenda, mburu kimani, mehul savani, maina joseph, isaac kiarie, peterson. In 2014, he starred alongside mumbi maina, brian ogola, lizz njagah and sarah hassan on maisha magic east drama jane and abel. Nairobi half life the first spawn of a german cosponsored. The old story of a naive country bumpkins rude awakening upon arrival in the big city is shot through with fresh social and stylistic energy in nairobi half life, a dynamic crime drama set in. One fine day films is an alternative production company founded in 2008 by german film director tom tykwer. We went through a few prescreening questions just to brainstorm our expectations. Nairobi half life is a crime film driven by character, one that follows a poor boy from the village to the big city where he descends into a life of crime whilst simultaneously pursuing his dream of. Nairobi half life tells the story of a young man, mwas joseph wairimu who aspires to be a big film star but he lives in an area where the opportunities are scarce. He began his journey as a production assistant in the movie dangerous affairs 2002 and then proceeded to be the assistant director in the movies malooned 2007 and the first grader 2011. Gitonga took part in the training initiative of one fine day films, dw akademie and the kenyan production company ink, with which young filmmakers from all over africa were chosen after a workshop to make a film under the direction of tom tykwer and billy kahora. With that training, he began his career in earnest booking roles on several kenyan television and film productions such as higher learning, lies that bind, nairobi half life, noose of gold and rush. Joseph wairimu, olwenya maina, nancy wanjiku karanja, mugambi nthiga, paul ogola, antony ndungu, johnson gitau chege, kamau ndungu, abubakar mwenda, mburu kimani, david tosh gitonga, nairobi half life, nairobi half life, david tosh gitonga, joseph wairimu, olwenya maina, nancy wanjiku.
Gritty without being too downbeat, the film was a hometurf hit, and should find a. He is the director behind the hit movie nairobi half life 2012. Being famous doesnt pay rent nairobi half life actor. Kenyas film industry with tosh gitonga nairobi half.
Talented director, tosh gitonga who became a household name with the massively successful film is back with a brand new one dubbed the nairobians. The film was selected as the kenyan entry for the best foreign language oscar. Boy falls in with wrong crowd as a means of survival. Nairobi half life directed by tosh gitonga a young, aspiring actor from upcountry kenya dreams of becoming a success in the big city. Nairobi half life director brings you the nairobians. Big city bends him over and tosses him in the gutter. The first official trailer for the nairobians, a new tv series from awardwinning kenyan director david tosh gitonga, is creating a buzz despite very little details about the show toshs debut film, nairobi half life, a crime drama about a young actor from the upcountry trying to make it big in the capital, was kenyas first ever oscar submission, and, according to its producers. Video archive for the film nairobi half life, which has a domestic theatrical release in the year of 2010. I won awards in durban, nashville, zanzibar, kalasha film festivals and in the africa movie awards, to name a. If you thought nairobi half life was awesome, you aint seen nothing yet. With joseph wairimu, olwenya maina, nancy wanjiku karanja, mugambi nthiga. I saw it in nairobi and we thought this is a good one the actor is a true african boy his story is good and like a lot that i know. Nairobi half life is a film directed by david tosh gitonga with joseph wairimu, olwenya maina, nancy wanjiku karanja, mugambi nthiga, year. Joseph wairimu played mwas, the lead character in the highly acclaimed film, nairobi half life, which took the local film scene by storm in 2012.
In pursuit of this and to the chagrin of his brother and parents, he makes his way to nairobi. Nairobi half life director wins award nairobi news. Those with a keen eye will notice in the closing credits of david tosh gitongas energetic and immensely entertaining film, nairobi half life, that tom tykwer run lola run, cloud atlas is listed as supervising director. Nairobi half life director david tosh gitonga and his producers at afi fest presented by audi. The old story of a country bumpkins rude awakening upon arrival in the big city is shot through with fresh social and stylistic energy in nairobi half life, a dynamic crime drama set in parts of. While tykwer and his one fine day film workshop, which sponsors an african film per year, oversaw the production, it is gitonga and lead actor joseph wairimu whose names will keep audiences talking. Supported by german film director tom tykwer and dw akademie, the african film is now also. While the total budget for the film codirected by hollywood director, tom tykwer was sh50 million, joseph confesses he still cant put food on the table from acting alone. Tosh gitongo center, the director of nairobi half life movie, with some of the cast members during premiere show at the westgate cinema.
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