Q & A with Tosh Gitonga

Nairobi Half Life’s still continues to shine two years after its release. The film bagged four awards at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards in March this year. We caught up with the film’s acclaimed director Tosh Gitonga who has won the Best of Festival Award for his work in Nairobi Half Life on his current projects and what makes the Kenyan film industry stand out.

What are you currently working on?
Right now, I’m multi-tasking. When I was working on Nairobi Half Life, I was focusing on that alone. There are many projects on my plate such as TV shows which I am really excited about. I am also developing short films with a twist. They will not be your ordinary stories. .

After your worldwide acclaim for ‘Nairobi Half Life’, do you feel pressure regarding your next projects?
To be honest, I feel excitement rather than pressure. The passion for my work is still there and will always be there. That is what matters. I have never been one to settle for less, so the standards of my work will always be high.

What do you see for the future of the Kenyan film industry?
The future is dynamic. Technology has widened the access that people have to creating film such as using your phone, YouTube as a platform. These opportunities can only spur people to take advantage of that.

At the AMVCA 2014, what made Kenya stand out in the categories that focus on film aesthetics?
Kenya is distinctive because of the quality of work we produce. Hollywood culture has exposed us to quality films are Kenya is way ahead in the technical aspects of film production.

Look out for the Kenyan winners featured on Up Magazine’s this month’s Film Issue.

 

By Amal Mohamed