Best Kenyan movies

Kena and Ziki long for something more. Despite the political rivalry between their families, the girls resist and remain close friends, supporting each other to pursue their dreams in a conservative society. When love blossoms between them, the two girls will be forced to choose between happiness and safety.

The true story of an 84 year-old Kenyan villager and ex Mau Mau freedom fighter who fights for his right to go to school for the first time to get the education he could never afford.

For a decade Kenya has been targeted by terrorist attacks of the Al-Shabaab. An atmosphere of anxiety and mistrust between Muslims and Christians is growing. Until in December 2015, Muslim bus passengers showed that solidarity can prevail.

Mwas, a young aspiring actor from upcountry Kenya dreams of becoming an accomplished actor one day, and in pursuit of this, he makes his way to Nairobi, the city of opportunity. He quickly understands why Nairobi is nicknamed Nairrobery as he is bereaved of all his money and belongings and left alone in a city where he doesn’t know a soul. Luck or the lack of it brings Mwas face to face with the city’s criminals and forms a friendship with a small time crook who takes him in. He is quickly drawn into a world of crime as he struggles to pursue his dream of becoming an actor. Keeping the two worlds separate proves to be a challenge for Mwas as he steps into this unknown world called Nairobi.

Boniface Mwangi is daring and audacious, and recognized as Kenya’s most provocative photojournalist. But as a father of three young children, these qualities create tremendous turmoil between him and his wife Njeri. When he wants to run for political office, he is forced to choose: country or family?

Nawi is a Kenyan film that explores the intricate themes of love, identity, and cultural heritage, set against the vibrant backdrop of modern-day Kenya. The narrative centers on a young woman who is caught between the traditions of her upbringing and the pressures of contemporary life. As she confronts the weight of familial expectations and the pull of her own dreams, she embarks on a transformative journey of self-discovery.

A father struggling to balance career and family gets unexpected help and must make a hard choice as he learns the value of presence over presents.

Between the Rains is a coming-of-age story of Kolei, a shepherd boy whose name translates to “living amongst the goats.” Unfolding over the course of a prolonged drought, viewers are pressed deeper into Kolei’s inner conflict as he questions not only his own identity as a warrior — a path that was chosen for him —but also the erosion of the culture that has shaped every aspect of his life. For Kolei, becoming a warrior not only shapes masculinity and personal identity, but it is also the very foundation on which this community and society root their lives. It is a sacred, guiding pillar.

Milking the Rhino is a 2009 documentary film that examines the relationship between the indigenous African wildlife, the villagers who live amongst this wildlife and conservationists who look to keep tourism dollars coming in. Both the Massai of Kenya and the Ovahimba of Namibia have spent centuries as cattle farmers. With their lands being turned into protected game reserves, these ancient tribes have turned to tourism as a means of survival. While some environmentalists think that community-based conservation is ideal for these villagers, the dangers of drought and the starvation of their cattle remains a constant reality.

When a serial bachelor's ten year old daughter suddenly appears on his doorstep, he must open his heart and learn to be a father.

Tapi! is a short documentary that explores a formative moment in the life of Kenyan ritual healer Jackson, one of the last practitioners of the ritual healing practice called utapishi ('tapi'). The leaders of the local Christian church are not happy with the influence of the ritual and decide to go to court. Jackson pushes back against the threat of tapi's prohibition by local Christian church movements who seem to be determined to erase the complex history of a people.

In the Kenyan bush, a crackdown on ivory poaching forces a silver-tongued second-generation poacher to seek out an unlikely ally in this fly-on-the-wall look at both sides of the conservation divide.

Abila (14) lives in one of the most miserable slums in Africa. His girlfriend Shiku belongs to a different tribe, as the result of which he is not really allowed to fraternize with her. And then one drunken night his father gambles away his own soul.

The stakes escalate in a longstanding conflict between Indigenous pastoralists and white landowners in Laikipia, Kenya, as unresolved historical injustices and the impact of climate change come to the forefront.

A young man encounters an unusual occurrence at his apartment

When a serial bachelor's ten year old daughter suddenly appears on his doorstep, he must open his heart and learn to be a father.

Kenyan Jim Chuchu’s short film casts a voyeur’s obsession with the girl next door, blurring the lines between fantasy and reality, science fiction and fiction.

A group of prisoners trapped in a crashed prison bus strive to stay alive when they realize there is a mysterious killer lurking in the shadows.

What does beauty look like? In this award-winning short, Kenyan filmmaker Ng’endo Mukii combines animation, performance, and experimental techniques to create a visually arresting and psychologically penetrating exploration of the insidious impact of Western beauty standards and media-created ideals on African women’s perceptions of themselves. From hair-straightening to skin-lightening, YELLOW FEVER unpacks the cultural and historical forces that have long made Black women uncomfortable, literally, in their own skin.

A STORY OF STRUGGLE, SACRIFICE AND DEDICATION Discover the world behind the Kenyan long-distance runners. See how they train, live an work hard to realize their dreams. Follow top athlete Geoffrey Kipsang. Watch him as he trains and paces for Haile Gebrselassie, and makes his debut at the 2012 Berlin Marathon.

On the eve of her 25th birthday, resolved to finally lose her virginity, Waks embarks on a thrilling escapade to the city. But to really enjoy her birthday gift, she must confront and shed the religious trauma and shame that have long burdened her.

To save their real estate agency, an ambitious businesswoman and her entitled boss must convince an investor they're married -- despite hating each other.

A university student looks for a way to make quick and easy money and finds out that its not as easy as he imagined.

A blind man and a deaf woman fall in love with each other, but their disabilities cause major communication problems.

After she and her husband struggle to conceive, a woman asks her best friend to be her surrogate -- which ultimately puts their friendship in jeopardy.

Subira, is a young, free-spirited girl from the rural areas of Kenya. She seems to have her whole life ahead of her, that is, until the death of her loving and encouraging father. Life hits her hard afterwards, with traditional submissive expectations preventing her from leading the life she desires.

Two intrepid Nairobi women decide to transform what used to be a whites-only library until 1958 into a vibrant cultural hub. Along the way, they must navigate local politics, raise millions for the rebuild, and confront the lingering ghosts of Kenya’s colonial past.

A portrait of family, and a study of migration, assimilation and generational spirit in the most gentle and intimate of terms. Kenyan born Munyiri, partially raised in South Africa and much-travelled since, creates an autobiography-through biography of her late paternal grandmother, Waithira.

A humorous satire about a Kenyan charlatan who claims to be a “miracle healer”.

Omondi lives in the biggest slum in East Africa. Everyday he sees airplanes fly over him. He dreams of becoming an airline pilot and flying far away.

A woman consumes water from the sink without realizing the threat she's put herself into.

In this humorous and biting film, an eclectic group of people living in Nairobi gathers over Zoom for a court-ordered anger management class. As they swap stories and trade barbs, deeper issues with their lives and local government come to light.

A brilliant young medical doctor, stunningly beautiful, morphs into a heartless murderer after a positive pregnancy test, and a cheating lover.

After successfully pulling off a heist, six university students live a life on the run as jealously and greed put their friendships to the test.

Afraid of losing the woman of his dreams, Muntu, a small fry criminal, pretends to own a profitable market stall. His honest attempts to turn his lies into reality fail, due to the ubiquitous local corruption. Impersonated as "Captain of Nakara", wearing a stolen military uniform, Muntu manages to succeed in defending his rights, his happiness - and ends up elected as Kwetu's president!

A teacher newly released from prison renegotiates the confines of the physical world while forced to face his nightmare in the flesh.

Sehnsucht is a German noun translated as “longing”, “yearning”, or “craving”, or in a wider sense a type of “intensely missing”. However, Sehnsucht is difficult to translate adequately and describes a deep emotional state. A dead zebra lies on a black and white checkered floor and appears to breathe. Seen from four different angles the decomposition of the zebra is filmed in stop-motion until nothing remains but an empty skin.

When fish begin to vanish, community members are quick to blame Dani, the elderly woman rumoured to be a witch. Daisy, a fisherman’s daughter, must decide whether to stand by her friend or heed the warnings of those around her.

This is the dramatic story of a young village girl who goes beyond traditional, rigid cultural barriers to become a flying doctor. Saikati is representative of girls all over Africa struggling to make their dreams a reality in cultures caught between traditional laws and modern influences. It's also a story of love, drama and friendship as Saikati also makes the difficult transition from girl to woman.

The Lions of Musiara Marsh.

The story of a 21-year-old Somali boy named Ayaanle living in Nairobi who aspires to become a world-famous actor. His life is turned upside down after a series of unlikely and unfortunate events force him to defy the odds for his survival.

Urban life can be difficult. Here we first follow a couple who encounter one problem after another as they hunt for a flat. The estate agent is a crook and makes their job even harder. When it becomes impossible to find somewhere to rent, there’s only one thing left to do: live in a shanty town. One of the inhabitants shows us what living in that environment actually means.

Barack Obama takes a trip to Kenya

One night. A brutal break up. A drinking spree, and a one night stand with a mysterious man. Few months later and pregnant, Lisa Waweru, a broke stylist, discovers this mysterious man to be Dele Coker, a successful Nigerian CEO based in Nairobi and expanding in East Africa. She and her best friend Joyce, must come up with the perfect plan to have him pay his dues. This must change their lives forever!