The 3rd edition of Kalasha Market kicked off on a high note with the CS Ministry of Information, Communications and Technology Mr. Joe Mucheru gracing the event as the Guest of Honor. He was joined by a delegation of high profile individuals drawn from French Embassy in Kenya, The European Union, County Governments of Laikipia, Nairobi and Nakuru. It was during this opening ceremony that the 20 shortlisted candidates of the National Scriptwriting Competition were also announced.
The opening ceremony by the CS was followed by a tour of the exhibition spaces where various companies were demonstrating and showcasing their film products and services. Kenya Film Commission announced that the exhibition area was fully sold out with all the booths occupied by various companies in the Audio-visual sector drawn from various parts of the world.
Pitching competition – a side event of Kalasha Market, ran the entire three days with highly creative concepts being pitched to the jury in the TV and Documentary categories.
Side events like workshops and conferences also kicked off simultaneously with key international speakers drawn from around the globe engaging the participants on key topical discussions of interest spanning intellectual property, scriptwriting, animation production, film marketing and distribution as well latest technological advancements in film production.
Capping off the first day was a welcome cocktail sponsored by County Government of Nakuru followed by a screening of the film Ole Naibon which is a co-production by Furet Films and County Government of Nakuru.
Noting the significant benefits Kalasha Market offered to the counties Ms. Tume Abduba – Chief Officer Culture and Art Nakuru County noted that:
“This event was an eye opener for us as a County and we have developed networks that are crucial to us moving forward.”
Day two of the market offered the participants even a greater experience as various speakers tackled exciting discussions revolving around economic impact of film guilds, future of Video on Demand platforms and using Intellectual Property as collateral for film funding. This was witnessed by the overflowing conference and workshop halls as the participants were eager to listen to the amazing conversations that were going on at the market.
Marking the end of the Kalasha Market was an award-giving ceremony for the winners of the pitching competition. An 11-member jury of experts was tasked to sift through the submissions received and shortlist six candidates in each category who then competed for the top prize of Ksh 500,000.
This year Kenya Film Commission committed Ksh 2 million to support the pitching competition. The prize money will aid the winners in the pitching competition to advance form the concept stage of their projects to full production.
Making his closing remarks, Mr. Timothy Owase – CEO Kenya Film Commission noted that:
“There was an increase in the number of submissions this year. Some of the projects submitted are impressive and can compete internationally”
The winners for the Kalasha Market 2019 pitching competition were as follows:
- Nairobi by Night by Timothy Mwaura won in the Documentary category.
- Injinia by Mercy Chege won in the TV category.
- Home by Jeremiah Amdany won in the Film category.
Ananse’s Moral Narrative by David Sewe won in the Animation category
