The nominees for the 2014 Kalasha Awards have been finally revealed today in a well attended breakfast session by industry players at the IMAX cinema in Nairobi. The chairman of the Kenya Film Commission (KFC) Board, Dr Chris Foot also announced the new CEO of the commission; Ms Liz Chongoti, who once served in KFC as Head of Programs.

Mr Eric Mwangi (KFC’S Internal Audit Manager) had been acting as the Chief Executive Officer since August last year following the expiry of the Mr Peter Mutie’s three-year contract.

Kenya’s first sexy drama comedy House of Lungula dominated the categories with an overall of 10 nominations ie. Best Film, Best Original Score, Best Art Direction, Best Lighting, Best Editing, Best Sound Mixing and Best Screen Writer with two of its actors; Sarah Hassan and Gerald Langiri being nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Film and Best Lead Actor in a Film respectively. House Of Lungula’s Director, Alex Konstantaras has also been nominated for the Best Director of Photography Award.

The Movie, Strength of a Woman, which is yet to be officially released also, enjoyed an overwhelming number of nominations (SEVEN) with its lead actress Rose Njoroge, being nominated for the Best Actress in a Film category.

Simiyu Samurai 2, a film by X-Media whose first edition scooped four awards in last year’s Kalasha has also been nominated in several categories this year.

713 FILMS AND TELEVISION ENTRIES

According to Chris Foot, this year the commission received 713 Films and Television entries up from 97 that were submitted last year.

“The number was quite a wonderful surprise but that means that the industry is indeed growing and we are glad,” he said adding that the biggest challenge the commission faces is lack of adequate funding from the government.

He also said that the commission is keen on promoting the local advertising industry hence a category for the Best Advertisement has been included in this year’s awards. The massive entries forced the academy to increase the number of nominees in the categories from the traditional four to 5 or six.

“We want to see locally made TV commercials and not people travelling all the way in India or South Africa to produce them.

The Kenya Film Commission’s Director, Mwaniki Mageria, also announced that the commission’s financial years commences next month and that they will be launching a master’s class for filmmakers.

The Kalasha Awards are a product of the Kenya Film Commission which aims to celebrating the most outstanding achievements in film and television production.

The award ceremony will be on 19th of July 2014 at the National Museums of Kenya.

BELOW IS THE LIST OF NOMINEES FOR THE 2014 KALASHA WARDS

1. Best Short Film Award

• Kenji
• Simiyu Samurai 2
• The Marshall of Finland
• Painful Prick
• Burnt Forest

2. Best Feature Film Award

• Strength of a Woman
• House of Lungula
• Ni Sisi
• Women we Marry
• Something Necessary

3. Best Documentary Award

• Silent Killer
• Beyond Limits
• Corpse and Robbers
• The Karims (A Sporting Dynasty)

4. Best TV Documentary Award

• Shamba Shape Up
• From Here to Timbuktu- Ethiopia
• From Here to Timbuktu- Lamu
• Care and Delight

5. Best Diaspora Production Award

• Haunted Souls
• The Route
• Love and Deceit
• My Two Sisters

6. Best Director of Photography Award

• Robinson Njenga Ndung’u in Kenji
• Manasseh M. Chege in Strength of a Woman
• Zippy Kimundu in Burnt Forest
• Bruce Makau in My Faith
• Mwendwa Mutua in Tamed
• Alex Konstantaras in House of Lungula

7. Best Sound Mixing Award

• Strength of a Woman
• Women We Marry
• Ni Sisi
• Something Necessary
• House of Lungula

8. Best Lighting Award

• Simiyu Samurai 2
• Ni Sisi
• Strength of a Woman
• House of Lungula

9. Best Editing Award

• Simiyu Samurai 2
• The Marshall of Finland
• Strength of a Woman
• House of Lungula
• Ni Sisi
• Dynasty
• My Faith

10. Best Art Direction Award

• Strength of a woman
• The Marshall of Finland
• Something Necessary
• Burnt Forest
• House of Lungula

11. Best Original Score Award

• Niko na Genge
• Women we Marry
• Something Necessary
• Strength of a Woman
• House of Lungula

12. Best Special Effects Award

• Simiyu Samurai 2
• Burnt Forest
• Haja Ndogo
• Burn My Bones But Keep My Words
• The Messenger

13. Best Animation Award

• JTL Faiba “Caveman” Series
• Safaricom Vuma Online Series
• The Athlete

14. Best High School Feature Award

• The Messenger by Rwathia Girls Secondary School
• Burn My Bones But Keep my Words by Kangubiri Girls’ High School.
• A Time to Cry by Chogoria Girls High School
• Lone Ranger by Chogoria Girls High School
• Outcast by Statehouse Girls’ High School

15. Best Lead Actor Award

• Telly Savalas in The Marshal of Finland
• Ryan Mbatia in Simiyu Samurai 2
• Peter King Mwania in Ni Sisi
• Gerald Langiri in House of Lungula
• Moori Njogu in Tamed
• Wilfred Olwenya Maina in Painful Prick

16. Best Supporting Actor Award

• Gilbert Lukalia in The Marshall of Finland
• Ken Edwin Okwako in Poisonous Tears
• Claude Judah in The Distant Boat

17. Best Lead Actress Award

• Rose Njoroge in Strength of a Woman
• Cindy Kahura in Burnt Forest
• Jacky Vike in Ni Sisi
• Edna Daisy in Chastity
• Nicole Kwamboka in Maya

18. Best Supporting Actress Award

• Esther Wanjiru in Guilt of Kindness
• Jacky kaboi in Tamed
• Sarah Hassan in House of Lungula
• Tracy Kajuju in Lone Ranger
• Faith Kamunya in Outcast

19. Best Local Language Film Award

• Ithe Wa Mwana
• Niko na Genge
• Something Necessary

20. Best TV Drama Award

• Housemates
• Sumu La Penzi
• Groove Theory
• Saida
• Mali

21. Best TV Show Award

• Baqe
• Tales from the Bush Larder- Kampala
• The Property Show
• Taj Talk Show
• Driv3 TV

22. Best Host in a TV Show Award

• Kiran Jethwa in Tales from the Bush Larder
• Silalei Owuor in Baqe
• Naomi Kamau and Tony Njuguna in Shamba Shape Up
• Nancy Muthoni in The Property Show
• Marie Rose in Taj Talk Show

23. Best TV Comedy Award

• Churchill show
• Churchill Raw
• Classmates
• Vioja Mahakamani
• Vitimbi

24. Best Lead Actor in a TV Drama Award

• Paseal Ipesinoi in Groove Theory
• George Mbuto in Beba Beba
• Samuel Kaguora in Maisha Bure
• Hilary Mwangi in Jastorina
• Peter Gathambo in Gumbaru Skool

25. Best Lead Actress in a TV Drama Award

• Mkamzee Mwatela in Mali
• Nancy Nyambura in Jastorina
• Patricia Kihoro in Groove Theory
• Ruth Maingi in Mama Duka: Wivu
• Victoria Muthigi in Saida
• Janet Mbuga in Housemates

26. Best Supporting Actor in a TV Drama Award

• Oreal Nyanje in Saida
•  Peter King Mwania in Groove Theory
• Gerald Langiri in Stay
• Fidel Lwayo in Saida
• Makbul Mohammed in Lies That Bind

27. Best Supporting Actress in a TV Drama Award

• Ruth Wacuka in Housemates
• Amalie Chopetta in Saida
•  Nancy Karanja in Beba Beba
• Amina Abdi in Maisha Bure

28. Best Scriptwriter in Original Screenplay Award

•  Strength of a Woman
• Simiyu Samurai 2
•  Painful prick
•  House of Lungula
• The Marshall of Finland
• Guilt of Kindness

29. Best Performance in a Comedy Award

• Jasper Muthoni in Churchill Raw
• Steven Opondo in Classmates
• Nancy Nyambura in Jastorina/ Mashtaka

30. Best Mobile Film- Nairobi in Motion Award

• Ghost Town
• Describe Nairobi

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