Some incredible movies have come out. And as the year snails on, there are some five movies that we think carry the best of lessons in life ranging from gender-based violence, entrepreneurship, resilience, and forgiveness. Here are some you can sample:
Mercy
‘Mercy‘ is not a film that begs for sympathy- it strives for change; in the hope that everyone who watches the short film will see how one wrong decision can affect multiple lives. What is powerful about this story- is that even with all that the 15-year-old Mercy is going through- she wants to help others.
When 15-year-old Mercy faces the unimaginable, her courage and resilience come to the fore. What could have been the end of her story is only the start of a new journey.
The script was written by Georgia Fernandes, a 21-year-old Kenyan student of architecture. The film represents the perseverance that thousands of young girls demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic, during which statistics of gender-based violence reached appalling heights in Kenya.
She hopes that the short film’s viewers will recognize the ripple effect of a single wrong decision on multiple lives and the film will push men to “Think Twice” before they even touch a girl. The movies was launched for the public in March.
Prayer For The Departed
Inspired by a true story, the film explores the journey of a Kenyan girl forced to confront a maze of complex decisions no teenager should ever have to make. Charity’s story gives us a rare front-row seat to the challenges and barriers many Kenyan girls and women face in their usual quest for love, care, and justice.
Anyango The Ogre
With the backdrop of a childhood folktale, 13-year-old Otis struggles to protect his younger siblings from a monster that lives inside their home. This short film was produced by Sarah Hassan and directed by Voline Ogutu. It is currently streaming on Netflix.
Disconnect: The Wedding Planner
After falling victim to a scam, a desperate man races the clock as he attempts to plan a luxurious destination wedding for an important investor. “Disconnect: The Wedding Planner” features most of the cast from the first movie including Kate Kamau, Brenda Wairimu, and Patricia Kihoro. However, Nick Mutuma, the lead actor in the first film, is noticeably absent as Pascal Tokodi takes over the lead role.
Bangarang
Otile, a poor ‘bodaboda’ rider is jobless ten years down the line after graduating with a second-class honors degree in automotive engineering. When election violence erupts after the disputed Kenyan presidential elections, Otile leads other rioters in the streets of Kisumu. To him, this is the only opportunity he can vent his anger on the government’s bad leadership, which he holds responsible for his joblessness. On one fateful day, as he runs for his dear life from the anti-riot police, he finds himself inside Dan’s house. The police trace him and beat everyone in the house including Dan’s six-month-old child, Baby Joy. And now Otile run into exile from the fear of being falsely implicated by the police for Baby Joy’s death.