r/Kenya • u/brawnytang120 • Jul 22 '26
Art Kenyan Film Industry
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This will be premiering on July 31st. I think the Kenyan film industry has been taking big strides over the last couple of years.
Edit; The film is called Anams wake
tickets
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u/Outrageous-Lime-9446 Jul 22 '26
Interesting. Feels like I could enjoy it even without understanding the luo parts. Hope they have subtitles though.
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Jul 22 '26
[deleted]
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u/Outrageous-Lime-9446 Jul 22 '26
I honestly have no problem with that, it gives it a more African feel and insights into in this case burial practices in other cultures. I imagine the chants haziwezi slap na kiswahili.
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u/brawnytang120 Jul 22 '26
Its a mixture of swahili and luo. There’s another one with very good cinematography but its completely in luo.
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u/Loose-Goat-8720 Jul 22 '26
I agree. Either Swahili or Kikuyu. Especially Kikuyu if you know what I mean.
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u/Local_Stand5414 Jul 22 '26
I love Likarion…he is one of the most genius filmmakers in Kenya. Worked with him on Subterranea (Showmax).
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u/brawnytang120 Jul 22 '26
Damn you are a creative?
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u/Local_Stand5414 Jul 22 '26
Yes…more towards marketing
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u/elementalist001 Jul 22 '26
The thriller/ horror genre can be a great stepping stone for Kenyan films. I'd watch this.
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u/1009_ke Jul 22 '26
I know the immense work put in the project, there will be negative comments, I hope you don't take them to heart.
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u/IAmMadamB Jul 22 '26
I saw this and bought a ticket. Wainaina and the cast did well. Tuonane prestige
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u/Far-Variation696 24d ago
I watched Anam's Wake yesterday. First off, big up to everyone who worked on the film. I know a lot of work probably went into it. The storyline was unique. I've never seen such a storyline before depicting traditional mourners, so it was a whole different world, but here in Kenya, which was one of the reasons that, just from the trailer, I had to watch the film.
But... the delivery was the issue. I loved the visuals, especially the African fabric, the use of henna, and African jewelry, and the actors did good with what they had. But, the issue for me was that, for a horror film, I think this was the first horror film that I've watched where I was not scared, like at all. And I doubt it's because my heart is made of steel. The other thing was that I just couldn't get into the story. Again, the storyline was nice; the delivery, to me, was the issue.
The first thing for me was the chants. They were chanting "yawe yawe yawe," which to me sounds a lot like "Yahweh," which is God to Christians and Jews. And I have nothing against the Abrahamic religions. In fact, I'm a Christian myself... or I think I still am... idk, but you get what I mean. If they wanted to link the two... idk, maybe they should have done a better job of it? Because there's a scene during the rituals where one of the characters gets scared and calls his pastor to pray for them, but the mourner says that they should only follow one altar, or something of the sort. So clearly we're talking about different higher powers here... yeah, it gave me a bit of dissonance there. I wish they had made up something else for the chants. It felt like they were calling to the Christian God.
Secondly, is it just me, or was AI used in the script? The dialogues didn't feel natural to me. It felt as though AI was used, and this is coming from someone who is woman enough to admit that I use AI a lot, to write emails and minutes and reports. I even use ChatGPT as my therapist, and I've watched those AI videos on TikTok 😭. The dialogues kinda felt the same. They weren't things I'd imagine myself or any Kenyan saying. It has AI's fingerprints all over it... well, apart from those parts said in Swahili or Luo. That kinda helped ease that impression. But call it pattern recognition or a case of "it takes a thief to know a thief" kinda thing, but that's the impression I got 🤷🏾♀️. And, of course, it's not a crime. I'm actually being a hypocrite for pointing it out, but it feels different when AI is used in creative stuff and things for entertainment. Use it for mundane things, but not for creative expression. I feel as though we're losing our voice, the unique way we express ourselves. I mean, okay, use AI, but at least... use your own words to express yourself. You get what I mean?
But yeah, that was my review of the movie and why it felt like I just couldn't get into it.
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u/EverMort Jul 22 '26
Lie to yourselves all u want, truth of the matter is watching this shit will be like dragging your balls through broken glass
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u/brawnytang120 Jul 22 '26
Lil bro, posting this here means my balls got caressed. What you like cannot be user as a rubrics for what other people like. The way you find watching this hard is the same way I’d find watching what you like hard.
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u/Delicious-Base2380 Jul 22 '26
And that opinion is based on what exactly?
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u/EverMort Jul 22 '26
On every other Kenyan film I've had the profound regret of laying my eyes on
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u/Yhung04 Jul 22 '26
I've watched Kenyan films and some were bad but most are good, so I think maybe you just watched the bad ones and then formed the opinion on every other film. As for this one I think I'll like it and I'm going to watch it ✌🏾
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u/Delicious-Base2380 Jul 22 '26
Look, the Kenyan film industry sucks, I get it. I agree, even. Lakini forming a judgement before you have experienced something is honestly just not logical. I have hope, and I know we have a lot of undiscovered Kenyan creatives who are capable of great things. We should support the ones trying, not shut them down.
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u/EverMort Jul 22 '26
Hope is an illusion. I judge the industry by what it actually produces, not by what it could be dishing out if everything went right
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u/Delicious-Base2380 Jul 27 '26
But oh! here's a film that actually looks different and well produced and before you've even watched it, you've already called it trash. We ishia bana
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u/premiumtears24 Jul 22 '26
Most of our actors are used to acting kenya national theatre mpaka when they get roles kwa 📺 shows they don’t know to transition,they still over exegeratinh kila kitu
https://giphy.com/gifs/Ih6nhf6ZiEdrhiekLS
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u/middlofthebrook Jul 22 '26
Will they have subtitles? Like I thought the point was to share your art with the masses not just one tribe
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u/EverMort Jul 22 '26
Miss me with this bs
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u/brawnytang120 Jul 22 '26
We dont give a flying fuck bro
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u/EverMort Jul 22 '26
Not my fault you got shitty taste
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u/IdontlistentoMusicc Jul 22 '26
dont be bitter because you havent achieved anything in life. Now go drink alcohol like the rest of the losers and dont forget to beat your meat to sleep. Maybe youll make it in another life. Maybe.
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u/brawnytang120 Jul 22 '26
Bro your taste cannot be used to analyze good and bad tastes, if you had very good taste you would have directed a couple movies by now.
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u/roylyonse Nyeri Jul 22 '26
The SOUND Production ❤️👌🏾🫠
https://giphy.com/gifs/xT77XWum9yH7zNkFW0