Mbithi Masya
Mbithi Masya | |
|---|---|
| Born | 13 December 1985 Nairobi, Kenya |
| Alma mater | Strathmore School, Strathmore University |
| Occupation | Film Producer |
| Notable work | Kati Kati Just a Band |
| Website | mbithi |
Mbithi Masya is a Kenyan filmmaker, artist and writer born in Nairobi, Kenya on 13 December,1985.[1][2][3]
He is part of the experimental collective Just a Band (2008–2016, 2022-present) that became one of Kenya's most famous bands in the 2010s. He is credited for producing, along with fellow band member Jim Chuchu, the iconic video for the song "Hahe", considered Kenya's first viral internet meme showcasing the superhero-inspired character Makmende.[4] Other songs that Masya created videos for include Matatizo.
His first feature film, Kati Kati (2016), won several awards including the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) award at the 2016 Toronto Film Festival, and the Best East African Film award at the 2017 Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards. The film was submitted to the Academy Awards as Kenya's official submission for a foreign language film.[5][6] In 2022, he released his short Baba, Winner of the Baobab Award for best short at the Royal African Society's Film Africa festival. The story follows a young boy who develops a unique ability to teleport as a way to cope with the trauma of sexual assault.[7]
Masya is next set to co-direct with Anjali Nayar the film Just a Band, a fictionalized documentary. As of October 2024, the film is in the development stage.[8]
Along with Sheba Hirst, Masya is the co-founder of the Nairobi Film Festival. In an interview, Hirst explained that the origins of the festival came about with Masya's realization that there wasn't a local film event at which to premiere his film, Kati Kati.[9]
References
[edit]- ^ "ONE ON ONE: Filmmaker, writer and artist Mbithi Masya". Nation. Retrieved 2020-10-21.
- ^ "Mbithi Masya". IMDb. Retrieved 2020-10-21.
- ^ Kulish, Nicholas (2014-01-08). "African Artists, Lifted by the Promises of Democracy and the Web (Published 2014)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-10-21.
- ^ Modiba (2010-05-24). "Viral "Makmende" Signals Shift in African Music as Twitter Generation Takes Lead". HuffPost. Retrieved 2020-10-21.
- ^ "Kalasha Awards 2017: Kati Kati wins big". Showmax Stories. 2017-12-11. Retrieved 2020-10-21.
- ^ "Kenyan film 'Kati Kati' selected for Oscar Awards". Nairobi News. Retrieved 2020-10-21.
- ^ "In Filmmaking, Mbithi Masya Has Found a Place in the World for His "Weirdness" - Okayplayer". www.okayafrica.com. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
- ^ "Just A Band". Cinereach. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
- ^ "What It's Like To… Run a Film Festival in Nairobi - Okayplayer". www.okayafrica.com. Retrieved 2024-10-23.