Nominations have been announced for the 5th Kalasha Awards, organized by the Kenya Film Commission which aims to celebrate the most outstanding achievements in film and television production.

Public voting is going on at the moment and the Kenya Forum takes a glimpse at the following nominees of the 2014 Kalasha Awards.

GERALD LANGIRI

Gerald Langiri says he is happy after getting two KALASHA nominations; Best Lead Actor in a Film (House of Lungula) and Best Supporting Actor in a TV Drama (STAY) but at the same time he is not really excited because Kalasha awards is more of a publicity stunt to the industry but it doesn’t do much for the winners.

“Looking at previous Kalasha winners, nothing much has changed in their careers simply because they won awards. The organisers should try and give winners something of much value more than just the usual trophy,” he says.

Gerald, whose acting career kicked off in 2011, credits his roles in the movie House Of Lungula and also in the TV series STAY as his best roles so far as the roles gave him a chance to play a different character from the usual lawyer ones he was accustomed to.

“House of Lungula brought out the other side of me” he says.

CLAUDE JUDAH

Thanks to his supporting role in the film The Distant Boat, which has been nominated in the Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF), Claude Judah has been nominated in the 2014 Kalasha awards for the Best Supporting Actor in a Film category.

In The Distant Boat he plays the role of an uneducated Muslim fisherman in the Kenyan coast region, a role that he says was quite challenging.

“The role was quite challenging but I loved it because it helped me grow by taking me out of my comfort zone. Am used to being cast for play boy roles but this was different,” he says.

ROSE K. NJOROGE

After being in the industry for four years, Rose Njoroge’s patience and perseverance is beginning to pay off. She has been nominated for a Kalasha Award in the Best Actress in a Film category for her outstanding role in the movie Strength of a Woman (her first role in a film) which has received seven nominations in the awards.

“Most people don’t just understand why am so excited yet I’ve not won the award already but you know what, this is an achievement already, it means someone out there recognizes my talent and that I can amount to something. I once auditioned for a role and the casting Director was mean enough to tell me that I was better off selling potatoes in the estate, but look at me know.” she posted on her Facebook page.

KALASHA GALA EVENT RESCHEDULED

The Kenya Film Commission (KFC) has rescheduled the date for the Kalasha FILM & TV Awards gala event from 19th July to Friday 25th July 2014 at the National Museums of Kenya.

According to KFC’s Corporate Affairs Manager, Catherine Gitahi, they had to change the dates to accommodate the President’s diary who has been invited as the Chief Guest.

EVERYONE’S INVITED TO THE PARTY!

Unlike in the past Kalasha Awards Gala events where participants wanting to attend would just purchase a ticket, this year’s event is by invitation only, but the organizers have announced that there will be an after-party at Galileo club in Westlands which will be open to all.