‘ACT OF LOVE’ HAS NOW PREMIERED IN KENYA AND WORLDWIDE!
- 25 Oct 2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
‘ACT OF LOVE’ HAS NOW PREMIERED IN KENYA AND WORLDWIDE!25th October 2023, Nairobi: 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.
And it Premiered in style on Mashujaa Day (Friday 20th October 2023), at Anga Cinema, Diamond Plaza 2 in Parklands. Hosted by Mugambi Nthiga, packed Screens showed the Short Film, followed by a very engaging Panel Discussion about Post-Partum Depression, Maternal Health and Mental Health.
“Seeing so many Kenyans - Filmmakers and Non-Filmmakers, show up for our Premiere like they did, ignited a fire in me to create more entertainment that share impactful messages with the people”, says Ms. Shirleen Wangari, the Producer, at Blackwell Films. “A great team, working with great co-ordination, has made our Film, and our Premiere, a success. I feel so fortunate, and I thank God for each and every one of them.”
And the success of the Film is only just beginning, with ‘Act of Love’ just Selected for Under Our Skin Film Festival Kenya in Nairobi, on 09th-16th November 2023; as well as Fankeenna Film Fest in Somalia, on 27th October 2023. This is after being Selected for the prestigious Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF) and Sauti Zetu Film Festival (where it won the People’s Choice Award) in Tanzania, Swahili International Film Festival & Awards in Kenya, Fragments Festival in the United Kingdom, and the Hollywood African Cinema Connection (HACC) Film Festival in America.
Furthermore, the Film is now available Worldwide, in all 195 Countries & Territories, to #RentFor2Days or #OwnForLife, via MyMovies.Africa™, here: https://app.mymovies.africa/view/f23879c9f04ad9b0
“As well as having ‘Act of Love’ on our own Service”, says Ms. Trushna Buddhdev-Patel, 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 planned 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”.
The ‘Act of Love’ Film 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.
The ‘Act of Love’ Premiere was Sponsored by PHAT! Productions, YAKWETU™, MyMovies.Africa™, SASA Mziki, Xpose, Xtreme, Mental 360, LightBox Africa and Kenya Film Commission; with Support from National Bank of Kenya, Pyypl Virtual Mastercard, SkillsHub and Anga Cinemas.
Here are Photos from the Premiere: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-Jpt53RgEPL5kSYV965D6yY2hALFW6co?usp=drive_link
For more Information, please Email distribution@yakwetu.africa
Notes to Editors:
- ‘Act of Love’
After losing her job at a restaurant, Juliana (Mwixx Mutinda) 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
The making of ‘Act of Love’: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ETIMPIziILNuBK8P1T4zNUMdYlHu5at9
- 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/
- 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
- Supporters of the Premiere
PHAT! Productions: https://linkedin.com/in/phat-productions-a684431b5
Xpose: https://xpose.co.ke/
Mental 360: https://mental360.or.ke/
Kenya Film Commission: https://kenyafilmcommission.go.ke/
Anga Cinema: https://cinema.angacinemas.com/
Pyypl: https://www.pyypl.com/
