I Want to Be a Pilot

Last updated

I Want to Be a Pilot
I Want to Be a Pilot movie poster.png
Movie poster
Directed byDiego Quemada-Diez
Written byDiego Quemada-Diez
Produced byDiego Quemada-Diez
Michel Ruben
Martha Sosa Elizondo
Christian Valdelièvre
StarringJoseph Kyalo Kioko
Collins Otieno
Gaudencia Ayuma Shichenga
Kepha Onduru, Joseph Kyalo Kioko
CinematographyDiego Quemada-Diez
Edited byKim Bica
Music by Toumani Diabaté
Release date
  • 22 February 2006 (2006-02-22)
Running time
10 minutes
Countries Kenya
Mexico
Spain
Language English
Budget€14,000

I Want to Be a Pilot is a 2006 award-winning Kenyan - Mexican short film docufiction written and directed by Diego Quemada-Diez. The movie has earned more than 50 international prizes, including the Audience Award at the Los Angeles Film Festival and has participated in over 200 film festivals such as Sundance, Locarno, Telluride, Edinburgh, Amiens, Los Angeles, São Paulo, Manhattan, Silverdocs, Bermuda, San Francisco. [1] [2]

Contents

Plot

The short film story tells about dreams of Omondi, a young orphan boy living in the slums of Kenya’s capital. A powerful and poetic filmic protest from a member of the crew that made The Constant Gardener. This award-winning Kenyan-Mexican short film documentary shows a poverty-stricken boy in one of the poorest parts of Kenya who looks up towards the heavens and dreams of being an airline pilot, of being able to fly. [3] The youngster is seen sifting through the metropolitan slums' trash while a child's voice-over reads, "Sunday was my last meal." It is Wednesday today. Only the narrator, who was not an orphan himself, was chosen from among the local performers employed by director Quemada-Diez. The filmmaker describes how he was astounded when the boy—or any other youngster in that circumstance—thanked him for just listening. [4]

Cast

Awards and nominations

YearAwarding OrganisatonCategoryNomineeResultRef
2007Amiens International Film FestivalBest Short FilmI Want to be a PilotWon [6]
2007Bermuda International Film FestivalBest Short FilmI Want to be a PilotWon [7]
2007Carrousel International du FilmShort FilmI Want to be a PilotWon
2006Heartland International Film FestivalDramatic ShortI Want to be a PilotWon [8]
2006Heartland International Film FestivalBest Short FilmI Want to be a PilotWon [9]
2007Cleveland International Film FestivalBest Documentary Short FilmI Want to be a PilotWon [10]
2007Larrissa Mediterranean Festival of New FilmmakersMediterranean CompetitionI Want to be a PilotWon
2007Manhattan Short Film FestivalBest FilmI Want to be a PilotWon [11]
2006São Paulo International Film FestivalBest Foreign Short FilmI Want to be a PilotWon
2008Ashland Independent Film FestivalBest ShortI Want to be a PilotWon
2007Sarasota Film FestivalKids' Jury AwardI Want to be a PilotWon [12] [13]
2007Silverdocs Documentary FestivalsHonorable Mention - Short FilmI Want to be a PilotWon [14]
2006Los Angeles Film FestivalBest Short FilmI Want to be a PilotWon
2007Alu Cine Latin Film + Media Art FestivalBest FilmI Want to be a PilotWon

See also

References

  1. Quemada-Diez, Diego (29 June 2006), I Want to Be a Pilot (Short), Collins Otieno, Gaudencia Ayuma Schichenga, Kepha Onduru, retrieved 4 September 2025
  2. Alochi, Oscar (24 October 2013). "I want to Be a Pilot Film". NFH - African Fashion. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  3. "I Want To Be A Pilot". Movies that Matter. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  4. "Films | Africultures : Amour en courts (L') (I want to be a pilot)". Africultures (in French). Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  5. "Reframe Peterborough international film festival 2010: I want to be a pilot". Reframe film festival. Archived from the original on 18 January 2013. Retrieved 6 June 2012.
  6. "Quiero ser piloto I want to be a pilot". Secretaría de Cultura/Sistema de Información Cultural (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  7. Press, Gregg Kilday,The Associated (26 March 2007). "Bermuda fest tie: 'Mud,' 'Cashback'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 13 September 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. "Heartland International Film Festival's lists". letterboxd.com. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  9. "Heartland International Film Festival's lists". letterboxd.com. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  10. Clint O'Connor, The Plain Dealer (26 March 2007). "Another record-setting year for Cleveland film fest". cleveland. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  11. "Virginia Film Society Presents Manhattan Short Film Festival | UVA Today". news.virginia.edu. 13 September 2007. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  12. filmthreat.com https://filmthreat.com/uncategorized/2007-sarasota-film-festival-announces-award-winners/ . Retrieved 13 September 2025.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  13. Writer, Staff. "Sarasota Film Festival schedule". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  14. Kay, Jeremy. "Please Vote For Me wins top feature award at Silverdocs". Screen. Retrieved 13 September 2025.