Kipkemboi selected for Kanazawa festival

Kipkemboi, a new film celebrating Kenyan and Canadian talent, has been selected for the Kanazawa Film Festival in Japan.

The movie, directed by Charles Uwagbai, features strong female characters and aims to offer a positive portrayal of African youth and highlight the beauty of Kenya.

It follows a Kenyan teenage math genius who develops a technique to play the stock market and brings the world’s financial markets to their knees.

The film is produced by Toronto-based New Real Films, IndieCan Entertainment and Nairobi’s Zamaradi Productions, with the support of CBC Films, Telefilm Canada and Ontario Creates. It was written by Joel Richardson and produced by Jennifer Jonas and Leonard Farlinger.

The cast includes Thamela Mpumlwana, Elsie Abang, David Cubitt, Abel Mutua, Chichi Seii, Kevin Hanchard and Vinessa Antoine. Uwagbai is a Nigerian-Canadian whose credits include Nollywood movie The Ghost & the Tout and drama series Blood of Enogie.

Kipkemboi won the 2024 Audience Choice Award for Best Feature at the 11th Annual Oakville Film Festival in Canada last month and was also named the runner-up for Best Canadian Feature Film at the same event.

The Kanazawa Film Festival, scheduled to take place in Kanazawa City from September 4 to 8, focuses on showcasing emerging filmmakers and their works, with a particular emphasis on Japanese cinema.