‘Jua Kali’ set to compete at the Tampere Film Festival

The Kenyan Film industry has been soaring as several movies showcase on international platforms.

Last month, Jua Kali, a short film about a day in the life of Diana, a domestic worker in Nairobi, premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam, and at Clermont Film Festival in France.

And next month, it will be competing at the Tampere Film Festival in Finland.

Nearly 7,500 films were submitted to the Tampere Film Festival 2022 competitions, which is an all-time record. The festival has three different competitions; the National and International Competitions, and the Generation XYZ Competition for short genre films.

The films selected for the competitions will be screened at the festival from March 9 to March 13, both at cinemas and online on the Festhome TV platform. The awarded films will be announced at the Award Ceremony on Saturday, March 12.

Out of the 64 short films from 43 countries that were selected into the International Competition of Tampere Film Festival 2022, only Jua kali from Kenya made the cut.

The drama follows the story of Diana, and her colleagues skillfully performing their cleaning duties against the backdrop of their privileged clients' private struggles and shenanigans. But the work is also taking a toll on Diana’s body.

“The global phenomenon of economic inequality takes a unique twist in the city of Nairobi. In most places, areas of impoverishment are usually far from the vicinities of the rich but in this city, the separation could be as thin as a perimetre wall or a highway.

This film will serve as a lens into the lives of the people that do these jobs with a specific focus on the domestic workers that go from house to house cleaning up after us when we are at work and school. They are always often women, whose struggles and aspirations are left untold and exist at a crossroads of poverty and privilege that interact but never intermix,” says Joash Omondi, the writer, director and producer of the film.

In the film, Diana is played by Michelle Tiren, a stage and film actress that has amassed an impressive portfolio of acting roles locally in various TV and movie projects including Famous, The More Things Change and Ensulo.

Omondi is a filmmaker, editor, screenwriter and composer and as by his skillset, Joash has strived to extend his talents beyond just one singular title. This has made him an indispensable participant wherever his talents have been deployed.

Locally, he has directed brand films and commercials for Trust condoms, Telkom Kenya, Copia, APA Insurance, Always and Suave bags as well as a music video for MTV European Music Award winners Sauti Sol.

Internationally, he has served as writer, editor and composer for the Social Impact Media Award-nominated film: Youth to Youth Fund and winner of the Best International Documentary Award, Owino at the Rome Independent Film Festival.