Women filmmakers and creatives were recognised for their contribution to the screen industry during the 7th edition of the Women in Film Awards (WIFA) held last weekend at the Nairobi Hospital Convention Centre.
Held under the theme “Access Granted: Women Filmmakers Driving Innovation in the Creative Economy,” the ceremony celebrated outstanding achievements by women across film and television, both in front of and behind the camera.
Organisers said this year’s edition drew significant participation, with more than 700 entries submitted for nominations, over 100 nominees shortlisted and more than 10,000 voters taking part across 23 public voting categories.
WIFA founder Dr Susan Gitimu said the awards aim to highlight the role women play in shaping the creative sector and the wider economy.
“We celebrate women who are shaping the Kenyan and African screen industries, women who write stories, direct visions, produce opportunities, design worlds, capture images and bring narratives to life,” she said.
She added that women-led productions contribute beyond storytelling by creating jobs for actors, technicians, designers and other professionals while expanding markets for local content and strengthening cultural identity.
The awards, which began in 2020, have grown into a platform dedicated to recognising and amplifying the work of women throughout the film and television ecosystem while advocating greater inclusion and representation in the industry.
However, WIFA Chief Juror Suki Wanza urged women in the industry to be more proactive in documenting and promoting their work, noting that some filmmakers often fail to showcase their achievements.
“The unfortunate thing is that we seem to be going back to where we started women not appreciating themselves or sharing the work they are doing,” she said.
“When the jury sits and tries to do due diligence, many cannot account for the projects we know they have worked on,” she adds.
Among the highlights of the night was the recognition of veteran actress Mary Khavere, popularly known as Mama Kayai, who received the Most Influential Woman Filmmaker award.
In her acceptance remarks, she called on the industry to celebrate creatives while they are still alive.
“People should look for us and appreciate us while we are still here, not when we are gone,” she said.
Other winners included Ivy Collette Nafula for Best Actress in Film, Mwende King’ori for Best Actress in a TV Drama, and Gathoni Kamau and Saumu Kombo who won Best Scriptwriter for Film and TV Drama respectively.
Lorella Jowi was named Best Film Director, while Mwajuma Belle took home the award for Best Director in a TV Drama category. Grace Wanjiku Kuria won Best Cinematographer and Audrey Restetuta Tanya was recognised as Best Producer for TV Drama.
Additional winners included Shiksha Arora (Best Digital Content Creator), Vivian Njeri Kimotho (Best Costume Designer), Victoria Winter Nyaga (Best Location Sound Recordist), Hadassah Precious (Best Child Actress) and Munala Laura Ayako (Best Animator).