• Kalasha feted her as lifetime achiever and state gave her a commendation
Image: MOSES MWANGI
Kenyan filmmaker Judy Kibinge has recently been crowned the Kalasha International Awards Lifetime Achiever for her contribution to the local film industry.
The writer, director and producer was accorded the honours to a great cheer from the audience at Safari Park Hotel.
Njeri's works include ‘The Aftermath’ and ‘Dangerous Affair’ (2002), ‘Project Daddy’ (2004), ‘Bless this Land’ and ‘A Voice in the Dark’ (2005) and ‘Something Necessary’ (2013).
In an interview with Word Is, she said such an award reminds her that people recognise her contribution to the society.
She said she was invited to attend the award ceremony only to find herself on the winner's list.
She added that it was good at some point, a lifetime award made her feel like she is almost dead. "Last Friday, we ushered the Kalasha's and there was anticipation that there was an extra award but we did not know which," she said.
"I don't fancy events so much, but I got a heads-up to attend this year Kalasha. There was a number of us who were running for the award, but I won. It was a little honour to receive this award, which was a lifetime award.
"A lot of what we do, sometimes we feel like it's not seen and recognised, and so such an award matters. You know it matters to people but you don't really feel it in a wider way."
Reflecting back, Judy said she has done more than 10 good films.
"I love making films and I miss making films. I want to figure how to regain that part of my life."
Judy was also given the State House commendation by President Uhuru Kenyatta. She said that was even major and thanked the Kenya Film Commission (KFC) CEO Timothy Owase for following up on what is happening in the industry.
"The lifetime's votes for Kalashas, interestingly I dont know how it happened since I didn't see a shortlist," she said.
"If you are a big campaigner, you can get a lot of votes and get many Kalasha awards. I have gotten a lot of Kalashas without ever having campaigned, but I think, somehow, there is an evenness that can happen with perception where public votes are encouraged.
"Tim Owase is the most loved film commission CEO we've ever had, and he has been trying to follow up, doing this and that."
About the state commendation, she said this came without her having to lobby for it.
"And it lands on your doorstep, you feel very proud and surprised and you realise other people see you," she said. "Like, it's not you pushing other people to see your value."
Speaking about the challenges as a filmmaker in the industry, Judy said art is not a priority in Kenya.
"Filmmakers go through so much and I think, the very first one is a lack of understanding of what is the importance of films," she said.
"There is a reason we see America the way we do. It is coz we've seen their films since we could speak and we could open our eyes, no matter where we were raised at.
"We see America very ahead, not coz films translate what America is and what Americans want to project America to be."
She further explained that most countries have real respect for storytellers and for creators and artistes.
"You walk around and every building and statue speaks to you. Because the parks are designed in certain ways," she said.
"These are countries that respect their art. Here, I think we have so many needs and the feeling is that artistes come after we develop, but there is something that has been misunderstood.
"Those artistes create a mirror in front that allows us to develop and become who we are supposed to be. A country that doesn't support its artistes is poorer in some ways."
Image: COURTESY
She hopes one day the Kenyan government and its people will realise that filmmaking inspires generations in so many ways.
"We would change ourselves and become more coz that is who we are."
Judy's film themes mostly edge towards women, around social taboos and violence in developing countries.
In 2009, her documentary film ‘Coming of Age’ won the Best Short Documentary category in the Africa Movie Academy Awards.
‘Dangerous Affair’ also won an award at the international Zanzibar Film Festival.
In 2017, the seasoned creative was chosen to be an Oscar judge by the Academy of Motion Pictures and Science for the categories of documentary, international and animation.
She also founded Docubox, a Nairobi-based film fund that provides grants and support for African filmmakers.
She credits the work coming out of Docubox as the reason she came to the Academy's attention.
"I think I am a dope filmmaker and I wanted to have a community that would sit down and figure it out and learn from each other," she said.
"A few years ago, after making a few different feature films of my own, I really began to notice, to really notice how difficult it was to raise funding; how difficult it was to find a sense of community amongst filmmakers back home in Kenya.
"By founding and starting Docubox, I was able, with my colleagues, to raise funding first of all.
"And in quite a curated process, to select a number of independent documentary filmmakers who over the past four years have been doing a lot of gruelling work, making these incredible films that are going to be seen come the beginning of the end of this year."