| Poacher | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Tom Whitworth |
| Written by | Davina Leonard Tom Whitworth |
| Starring | Brian Ogola Davina Leonard Lenny Juma |
Release date |
|
Running time | 29 minutes |
| Countries | Kenya, United Kingdom |
| Languages | Swahili English |
Poacher is a 2018 Kenyan / British short film directed by Tom Whitworth. The film received wide international attention after its release in Netflix in September 2020. [1] It also became the first ever Kenyan film to be released via Netflix. [2]
Shot in a dramatic film format, Poacher tells the story of a desperate farmer who runs into trouble after stealing a stash of blood ivory from a gang of international terrorists. The film seeks to highlight the significant international issue of illegal ivory trade by addressing the plight of Africa's endangered elephant population. [3]
Poacher was filmed over six days in the Tsavo West National Park to the South East of Kenya's capital, Nairobi. The production involved over 30 cast and crew members. [4] Director Tom Whitworth teased the first official still of the film on 10 April 2018, announcing that cinematography was by Nathan Prior and Ishmael Azeli. It was revealed that the short film was originally envisioned as a TV drama. [5]
Poacher (2018) was released in August 2018, having been screened at the Short To The Point (STTP) Festival, and been selected for a Best Editing Award. [6] The film premiered in Kenya at the ANGA IMAX Theatre on 10 November 2018 at the Kalasha International Film Awards in Nairobi. [7] Poacher has also screened at the 2018 Moscow Shorts International Short Film Festival in September 2018 in Moscow. [8] The film was streamed via Netflix on 30 September 2020. [9]
Soul Boy is a 2010 Kenyan drama film, written by Billy Kahora and directed by Hawa Essuman. It developed under the mentorship of German director and producer Tom Tykwer in Kibera, one of the largest slums in the African continent, in the middle of Nairobi, Kenya. The film has received five nominations at the 2011 African Movie Academy Awards.
Lies that Bind is a Kenyan television soap opera that premiered on November 2011 on the network KTN. It mainly features themes like polygamy, greed, lust, power and contemporary issues that affect families.
Intellectual Scum is a 2015 Kenyan short film directed by Njue Kevin. Produced by Rocque Pictures, the film is an adaptation of the controversial article 'You Lazy (Intellectual) African Scum!' by Field Ruwe, a USA based Zambian media practitioner.
Kalasha Film & TV Awards is an annual accolade presented by Kenya Film Commission with a goal to recognize and celebrate achievers in Kenya's TV and film industry. Entries into the award ceremony are films and TV series that have been aired on Kenyan television stations. The inaugural awards were held in 2010 and subsequent awards are held yearly at the last quarter of the year. The Awards would represent the five original branches of the Film making: Directors, Actors, Writers, Producers and Technicians. However, the Academy organizers will advise on whether or not to include more categories as long as they sufficiently represent the entire film industry.
Patricia Wangechi Kihoro is a Kenyan singer, songwriter, actress, radio and reality television personality. She rose into prominence after she participated in the third season of Tusker Project Fame, where she became one of the finalists. In acting, she has appeared in a number of local productions like the 2011 film, Miss Nobody, which saw her being nominated in the 2012 Kalasha Awards for best lead actress in a film. In television production, she has been cast as a lead in Groove Theory, a musical drama and as a regular in Demigods, Changes, Rush and Makutano Junction. As a radio presenter, she has worked with One FM and Homeboyz FM. Patricia is a content creator, influencer and youtuber.
Hawa Essuman is a film director based in Nairobi, Kenya. Her 2017 feature-length documentary Silas, co-directed with Anjali Neyar, tells the story of Liberian environmental activist Silas Siakor's fight to preserve the country's rainforests from commercial logging. The film won multiple awards, including the Amnesty International Durban Human Rights Award (2018) and the Audience Award for best documentary at the Riverrun Film Festival (2018). Hawa's first feature film, Soul Boy (2010), also received a series of awards. In addition, Hawa has produced a range of TV programmes, commercial films, music videos and adverts.
The Ivory Game is a 2016 American documentary film, directed by Kief Davidson and Richard Ladkani. The film examines the ivory trade, which has become a global concern, pitting governments and environmental preservationalists against poachers and Chinese ivory merchants.
Content House Kenya is a film, television, and commercials production company which is based in Nairobi, Kenya. It is a collective of filmmakers, writers, and photographers seeking to create and distribute content on topics that are underrepresented in the mainstream media but are still of great importance to the public. Their documentary Gun to Tape was nominated for Best Documentary at the 9th Africa Movie Academy Awards. Their feature documentary The Last Fight was selected for the 2016 Africa International Film Festival and the 2016 edition of the Luxor African Film Festival.
Charles Karumi Maina, known professionally as Charlie Karumi, is a Kenyan actor and Radio(NRG Radio)/TV presenter. He has appeared in several plays, television series and films. He is best known for his role as Tony on Kenyan drama Jane and Abel and for hosting entertainment magazine show Arena 254 on K24.
The 8th Kalasha TV & Film Awards ceremony, presented by the Kenya Film Commission (KFC), will honor the best Kenyan films of 2018 and will take place at the Safari Park Hotel, along Thika Road, in Nairobi, Kenya. The ceremony will be held on November 24, 2018. During the ceremony, the Kenya Film Commission will present Kalasha Awards in 16 categories which include Best Feature Film, Best Original Score, Best Short Film, Best Director of Photography, Best Editor, Best Documentary and Best Local Language Film.
The Cut is a 2017 Kenyan film directed by Peter Wangugi Gitau.
The 7th Kalasha TV & Film Awards ceremony, presented by the Kenya Film Commission (KFC), honored the best Kenyan films of 2017 and took place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, in Upper Hill, Nairobi, Kenya. The ceremony was held on December 11, 2017. During the ceremony, the Kenya Film Commission presented Kalasha Awards in 16 categories which included Best Feature Film, Best Original Score, Best Short Film, Best Director of Photography, Best Editor, Best Documentary and Best Local Language Film.
World Tofauti is a 2017 Kenyan romantic film directed by Kang'ethe Mungai. The film stars Avril Nyambura and Innocent Njuguna, and features Maureen Njau in a supporting role.
Khaleed Aziz Abdul is a Kenyan comedian and actor. He is popularly known as Farrah in Classmates, a TV Comedy Series currently aired by KBC Channel 1. He made his first TV appearance on 2015 in Churchill Show and later won Kalasha International Award for Best Performance in a TV Show.
Sincerely Daisy is a 2020 Kenyan coming-of-age romantic comedy film produced and directed by popular actor Nick Mutuma. The film stars Ella Maina, Brian Abejah, Sam Psenjen and Mbeki Mwalimu in the lead roles. The film was released in Netflix on 9 October 2020 and became the first ever Kenyan feature film to be released via Netflix. It is also the second Kenyan film to be released in the platform after short film Poacher. The film became one of the highly anticipated films in Netflix after its trailer was released on 2 September 2020.
Lost in Time is a 2019 Kenyan film written by Edijoe Mwaniki. It is a psychological thriller which focuses on the issue of mental health.
Catherine Kamau Karanja is a Kenyan award-winning actress, popularly known as "Celina" and "Kate Actress".
Likarion Wainaina, is a Russian–born Kenyan filmmaker. He is best known as the director of critically acclaimed shorts Between the Lines and Bait as well as most awarded Kenyan film in history, Supa Modo. Apart from filmmaking, he is also a cinematographer, editor, producer and actor.
Robert Agengo is a Kenyan actor and casting director. He is most known for his roles in The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (2019), Sue Na Jonnie, Mali, Kona, and 40 Sticks (2020).
Gilbert Lukalia is a Kenyan actor and film director.
