ACT OF LOVE wins Best Short Film at 9th MASHARIKI African Film Festival in Rwanda, after securing 6 Nominations for this week’s Mombasa International Film Festival!
- 06 Dec 2023
“We had 2,192 Applications, from 143 Countries, for the 5 Categories of best Feature Film, Documentary, Short Film, TV Series and Iziwachu (Rwandan Short Film)”, says Mr. Fabrizio Colombo, Artistic Director. “ACT OF LOVE emerged as the Best Short Film from 28 Nominees from across Africa”.
This was after the Film came Runner-up for Best Kenyan Short at the Under Our Skin International Film Festival for Human Rights in Kenya, earlier in November 2023; following-on from winning the People’s Choice Award at the inaugural Sauti Zetu Film Festival, held in Dar-es-Salaam – Tanzania, during October 2023.
To-date ACT OF LOVE, has also been Selected for the prestigious 2023 Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF) in Tanzania, 2023 Swahili International Film Festival & Awards in Kenya, 2023 Fragments Festival in the United Kingdom, 2023 Kugoma Film Forum in Mozambique, 2023 Fankeenna Film Festival in Somaliland, the 2023 Hollywood African Cinema Connection (HACC) Film Festival in America, 2023 Global Film Exhibition in America, 2023 Botswana International Film Festival and Kenya Film Commission’s Reel County Film Festival 2024.
Furthermore, this Film about Post-Partum Depression, has received six Nominations (the Highest amongst the Short Films) at the inaugural Mombasa International Film Festival this Week, as Best Short Film, Best Scriptwriter - Shelly Gitonga, Best Director - Eric Mwangi, Best Actress - Mwixx Mutinda, Best Editor - Koome Mwirebua, Owino Owano & Cidi M, and Best Sound Designer - Patrick Mbaru (Saint P).
Inspired by the Writer’s true story, ACT OF LOVE (16+) is a moving Short Film set in Nairobi, about Juliana (Mwixx Mutinda) - a young mother, who holds on to sanity by a thread, as her world is turned upside down in search of a livelihood.
“ACT OF LOVE is a Film that makes society acknowledge the ugly side of Motherhood”, says Ms. Shelly Gitonga – the Writer. “Statistics show that Post-Partum Depression (PPD) affects 10-20% of Women globally; but in Africa, the situation is worse, with 10-32% of Women suffering from PPD.”
“In Kenya, the prevalence of this Maternal Mental Health challenge is reported as 11-13%, affecting the well-being of Mothers, Newborns, Families and Communities”, says Ms. Shirleen Wangari, the Producer, at Blackwell Films. “The condition can impair a Mother’s ability to care for her Child and, in extreme cases, can lead to post-partum Psychosis, Suicide and/or Infanticide.”
“As well as having ACT OF LOVE worldwide on MyMovies.Africa™”, says Ms. Trushna Buddhdev-Patel, Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer & Content Director of YAKWETU™ - the Distributor, “the Film is also now Available for Licensing to other Video On Demand (VOD) services, Television and Non-Theatrical opportunities like Airlines, so that as many Africans and Diasporans as possible, can watch this important Film.”
“We have also begun special Screenings to underserved Communities of Women and Healthcare Workers around the Kenya and Africa, to raise further Awareness and spark Conversations for supportive Action on Post-Partum Depression, Maternal Health and Mental Health”, says Ms. Chloe Genga, Impact Producer at LightBox Africa. “And we’re open to Collaborating with any Partners who share our Vision”.
ACT OF LOVE was Produced by Blackwell Films, in conjunction with Ripple Productions, through Funding by Some Fine Day Pix, GIZ, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation & Development of Germany and DocuBox East Africa Fund; with Support Naomi Mburuh Films, Film Studios and Jenga Leo.
Notes to Editors:
- ACT OF LOVE
After losing her job at a restaurant, Juliana downsizes to a one-roomed house in an informal neighbourhood. Her luck turns when she is shortlisted for an interview, by a top accounting firm! However, before she can leave her house, the landlord - Mr. Mutisya (Dennis Musyoka), gives her a final notice to pay her rent arrears the same morning. Then, her neighbour - Mama Mukami (Veronica Gatuguta) - who had promised to watch her 2-month-old baby, has a campaign engagement for a local politician. Sister Magdalene (Julisa Rowe), despite being sympathetic to Juliana, cannot allow her to leave the baby at the church, due to a ‘pandemic’ of mothers abandoning their children in the compound. Undeterred, Juliana beats the clock and makes it for the interview - her upset baby in her arms. A sequence of events, triggered by her baby's cries, makes Juliana lose her promising interview. Broken, frustrated, and holding onto sanity by a thread, she questions her love for her baby.
More: https://app.mymovies.africa/view/f23879c9f04ad9b0 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27393708/
The making of ACT OF LOVE:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ETIMPIziILNuBK8P1T4zNUMdYlHu5at9
Behind the Scenes photos:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1sLHVJPZOOx891A3YvMTr31lotejc0hWi?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1RgogAE2v3IgO1bAh34vzqoYirXwijzb3?usp=drive_link
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Epf1AOVZ6zz1rmma1T3TLQwjO1L-l6gq?usp=sharing
- MASHARIKI African Film Festival
The MASHARIKI African Film Festival was launched in 2014, and is the largest Film Festival in Rwanda. The Festival was created to respond to a fast-growing film Audience and a much-needed film Connection through African countries, Filmmakers, the Diaspora and International Media Producers. MASHARIKI is an annual cultural event that aims at bringing African Films to an African audience. It consists of Screenings, capacity building through Workshops & Masterclasses by International and African Filmmakers, plus rewarding the outstanding Films and Filmmakers in different Categories.
More: https://www.masharikifestival.org/the-festival/
- Under Our Skin International Film Festival for Human Rights
Under Our Skin Film Festival is a platform that aims to entertain, inform and inspire through the medium of film. We motivate audiences and participants to question, debate and reflect on the state of human rights in Kenya and internationally. By actively embracing a cross-cultural exchange, the Festival invites audiences and stories from diverse backgrounds. It encourages individuals to think beyond their immediate surroundings and consider the interconnectedness of human rights issues worldwide, thus instilling a sense of understanding, empathy and global citizenship. We engender action and positive change for society and individuals through documentaries, fiction, conceptual films and animations - of all lengths.
More: https://www.underourskinkenya.org
- Mombasa International Film Festival
The Mombasa International Film Festival is a celebration of local and international Cinema, offering a diverse selection of Films from talented Filmmakers; organised by Mombasa County Government, Swahilipot Hub and Alliance Française.
More: https://www.mombasainternatonalfilmfestival.co.ke/
- MyMovies.Africa™, by YAKWETU™ Online Limited
Exclusive Distributor, and Non-Exclusive Retailer, of ACT OF LOVE, YAKWETU™ - meaning both "Of Us" and "For Us" in Kiswahili (the most popular African language), is an Online Home Entertainment & Edutainment System - of Africa, for Africa.
Using their proprietory Kenyan-made Applications, 2023 WIPO Global Award-winning YAKWETU™ is an online Retailer and Distributor of Digital Content, from Africa, to Africa and for Africa - through a Range of thoughtfully Curated branded Services, that supply Consumers with securely Encrypted original Titles, that fairly Pays the Creators, unlike Pirated alternatives.
Released on 26th September 2019, their Poof-of-Concept is MyMovies.Africa™, as a Mobile-first Digital Cinema Extension, offering securely Encrypted original Movies from Africa (i.e. New Releases, Classics, Features, Shorts, Animations, Documentaries, etc) on Smart Devices, including Phones, Tablets, Laptops, Smart TVs and Set Top Boxes, across Africa and to her Diaspora in 195 Countries.
Its core Products are a Premium Video On Demand – PVOD (#RentFor2Days) for New Releases, Transactional Video On Demand – TVOD (#RentFor7Days), Electronic Sell Through – EST (#OwnForLife) purchase and Watch Parties via ZOOM, all Accessed here: https://app.mymovies.africa.
More: https://www.yakwetu.africa
- LightBox Africa
LBx Africa offers Impact Production services, for both in-house and external Projects, on a consultancy basis. As one of the few Companies in the Region, that combines Social Impact strategy and Filmmaking, we aim to create customized experiences for each Project we undertake. We recognise that Film Distribution is not limited to Theatrical Screenings and Streaming Platforms, but can also be used as a powerful Tool to drive sustainable Change in Communities.
More: https://lbxafrica.com
- Blackwell Films
Producer of ‘Act of Love’, Blackwell Films is a production company based in Nairobi – Kenya, run by Shirleen Wangari - an Actress Writer and Producer. They provide Filmmaking services and are a licensed Film Agent. Blackwell also acquires Film Licenses, Immigration special Passes and clears Gear for foreign Productions.
More: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shirleen-wangari-0b16a237/
- SOME FINE DAY Pix
Executive Producer of ‘Act of Love’, the SOME FINE DAY Pix programme is a continuation of the ONE FINE DAY FILMS Workshop series, which was founded by ONE FINE DAY FILMS, Ginger Ink Films Africa and DW Akademie in Nairobi, Kenya. SOME FINE DAY Pix provides digital state-of-the-art training opportunities for African filmmakers.
More: https://www.somefinedaypix.org/
- Ripple Productions
Director of ‘Act of Love’, Eric M. Mwangi – a Cinematographer and Director with Filmmaking experience in the Eastern and Southern African region, is also Founder of Ripple Productions. An alumnus of the American Film Showcase documentary residency, at the University of Southern California., his goal is to bring an African perspective to the global pool of life-changing stories, thereby, contributing to the expansion of the African Cinema language. Passionate about Filmmaking, Eric has worked with different Producers to execute Projects across multiple locations, meeting different needs with the overall goal of storytelling, achieved through efficiency and creative professionalism.
Mwangi's projects range from Documentaries, TV Commercials and Brand Films to Short Films, working through production houses such as Zero Point Zero Productions [America], Zeleman Productions [Ethiopia], YCF Productions [Zambia], DocuBox [Kenya], One Fine Day Films [Kenya] and Some Fine Day Pix [Kenya], amongst others.
Some of his career highlights include Cinematography for the National Geographic Explorer Series on the ongoing Rhino Resurrection episode with Ami Vitale, and Documentary Filmmaker - Taylor Rees Freesolo; Cinematography for the acclaimed Zambian TV drama ‘UBUNTU’ - which is a first from that country on Showmax; working on a Netflix sizzle reel by Academy Award-winning Director - Rodger Ross William; and Emmy Award-winning Documentary TV Show by Anthony Bourdain – ‘Parts Unknown’, amongst others.
More: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-mwangi-24ab734a/
- DocuBox East Africa Fund
Supporter of ‘Act of Love’, DocuBox exists to enable talented, driven, focused and accountable East African artists to produce unique films that unearth new realities and cross trans-national boundaries. Through training, development and production grants and screenings for people who love documentary films, they promote East African filmmakers and share their unique stories with the world through creative documentary.
More: https://mydocubox.org/
