Kenyan feature film Kati Kati over the weekend won the prestigious Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival Award in the emerging filmmaker competition.
The film director, Mbithi Masya, in a Twitter post broke the good news and congratulated everyone who was involved in ensuring the success of the film.
Just got some good news! #mspiff pic.twitter.com/jdBlH4ZzhD
— Mbithi Masya (@mbithi) May 5, 2017
The competition organisers, while issuing the award, explained that Kati Kati emerged the best as it was well-crafted and portrayed a true image of what was happening in Africa with regards to life after death.
"For creating a well-crafted, well-acted and thoroughly African version of a touching tale of life after death, the Jury awards the Emerging Filmmaker Prize to KATI KATI, directed by Mbithi Masya,’’ Minneapolis statement read in part.
The award is the third international recognition the movie has received after being awarded by the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) for the Discovery program and the 19th CinemAfrica Film Festival in Stockholm where it bagged the ‘Best Film (East Africa)’ award at the 2017 AMVCA.
The movie is a masterpiece that was directed and co-written by Mr Masya assisted by Mugambi Nthiga and produced by One Fine Day Films under renown German Producer Tom Tykwer, who also produced the Nairobi Half Life.
The film features an admirable cast made up of Nyokabi Gethaiga, Elsaphan Njora, Paul Ogola, Peter King Mwania, Fidelis Nyambura Mukundi, Brian Ogola, Mumbi Maina, Mary Gacheri, Jane Muriuki and Samson Hassan.
