Tag Archives: A Familiar Christmas

Showmax preps Kenyan Christmas feature

MultiChoice-owned streaming platform Showmax is set to debut what is being billed as the first Christmas film from Kenya.

Reuben Odanga

Airing on December 15, A Familiar Christmas follows a family as they reunite to spend a Christmas holiday together for the first time in three years. However, their plans are disrupted when secrets and a meddling mother wreak havoc in the household.

A Familiar Christmas is written by Natasha Likimani and directed and produced by award-winning filmmaker Reuben Odanga.

The cast includes Pascal Tokodi, Maureen Kunga, Keith Chuaga, Alice Mbeyu, Dennis Musyoka and Uganda’s Ruth Kamanzi.

Odanga said: “I love Christmas because it’s usually a time to step back and let go of the pressure of the year. In Kenya, Christmas means going home for the majority of us, where we get to interact with our extended family. To be the director of Kenya’s first Christmas feature film means documenting our present culture to offer something that is relatable to the Kenyan audience. It’s daring and exciting at the same time.

“I have always felt that our content sometimes doesn’t take significant calendar events like Christmas into account. A Familiar Christmas captures the mood of the season from our perspective; it’s a step to bring our content and culture home.”

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