Manyatta Mengi Mashariki Film Program (LONDON, England)

The Africa Centre (TAC) has been contracted by the British Council to deliver the 2025 UK-Kenya Season of Culture, a bilateral cultural exchange celebrating creativity, innovation, and digital engagement. As part of this initiative, TAC contracted the curators Manyatta Screenings (Hawa Essuman, Fibby Kioria) and Mengi Mengi Film Club (Wanjeri Gakuru) to deliver Manyatta Mengi Mashariki the Season’s short film programme.

Manyatta Mengi Mashariki is a short film program spotlighting exciting new voices from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia and Reunion Island. The showcase offers fresh perspectives on the human condition across the genres of comedy, action and drama. The 7 selected short films approach the questions of identity, desire and mortality with warmth, bravery and fascinating interiority.

“This showcase provides a snapshot of the current voices of the makers and watchers emerging in Eastern African cinema. As members and champions of this ecosystem, we’re incredibly pleased and proud to present the topics and visual language representative of the region. It's been a joy to create and can’t wait to share it with UK audiences.” - Manyatta Mengi Mashariki team

The films shall be presented in two screening blocks with an intermission, followed by a conversation with a member of the curating team. The first set includes Rolex (2020), Dir. Benon Mugumbya (Uganda), Scalp Deep (2020) Dir. Naseeba Bagalaaliwo (Uganda), Love & Brain (2020) Dir. Semagngeta Aychiluhem (Ethiopia) and Stero (2022) Dir. Tevin Kimathi & Millan Tarus (Kenya). The second set consists of Transaction (2025) Dir. Wanjeri Gakuru (Kenya), An Ode To The Time I Loved Bread (2021) Dir. Neema Ngelime (Tanzania) and Set Lam Dir. Vincent Fontano (Reunion Island).