Boasting an impressive tally of 10 Festival Selections, 9 Nominations, and 2 Awards in just 6 weeks since its Premiere, Act Of Love achieved another milestone by clinching the Best Short Film accolade at the 9th MASHARIKI African Film Festival in Kigali.
Mr. Fabrizio Colombo, the Artistic Director, shared insights into the festival’s competitive landscape, revealing, “We received 2,192 applications from 143 countries across five categories – Best Feature Film, Documentary, Short Film, TV Series, and Iziwachu (Rwandan Short Film). Act Of Love stood out as the Best Short Film among 28 nominees from diverse corners of Africa.”
This triumph followed the film’s Runner-up position for Best Kenyan Short at the Under Our Skin International Film Festival for Human Rights in Kenya in November 2023.
The momentum continued with the film securing the People’s Choice Award at the inaugural Sauti Zetu Film Festival held in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, in October 2023.
Act Of Love‘s journey extends to prestigious events, having been selected for:-
- the 2023 Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF) in Tanzania
- the 2023 Swahili International Film Festival & Awards in Kenya
- the 2023 Fragments Festival in the United Kingdom
- the 2023 Kugoma Film Forum in Mozambique
- the 2023 Fankeenna Film Festival in Somaliland
- the 2023 Hollywood African Cinema Connection (HACC) Film Festival in America
- the 2023 Global Film Exhibition in America
- the 2023 Botswana International Film Festival
- Kenya Film Commission’s Reel County Film Festival 2024.
Furthermore, this poignant film addressing Post-Partum Depression has garnered six nominations, the highest among short films, at the inaugural Mombasa International Film Festival.
The nominations include Best Short Film, Best Scriptwriter (Shelly Gitonga), Best Director (Eric Mwangi), Best Actress (Mwixx Mutinda), Best Editor (Koome Mwirebua, Owino Owano & Cidi M), and Best Sound Designer (Patrick Mbaru – Saint P).
Based on a true story, Act Of Love unfolds in Nairobi, revolving around Juliana (Mwixx Mutinda), a young mother grappling with the challenges of life.
Shelly Gitonga, the writer, emphasizes, “Act Of Love compels society to confront the harsh realities of motherhood.
Globally, 10-20% of women face Post-Partum Depression (PPD), and in Africa, the figures soar to 10-32%.”
Shirleen Wangari, the producer at Blackwell Films, sheds light on the alarming prevalence of PPD in Kenya, affecting the well-being of mothers, newborns, families, and communities.
“The condition can hinder a mother’s ability to care for her child and, in extreme cases, lead to post-partum psychosis, suicide, and/or infanticide.”
In addition to being available worldwide on MyMovies.Africa™, Act Of Love is open for licensing to other Video On Demand (VOD) services, television, and non-theatrical platforms, extending its reach to as many Africans and Diasporans as possible.
Chloe Genga, Impact Producer at LightBox Africa, underlines the film’s commitment to advocacy by organizing special screenings for underserved communities of women and healthcare workers across Kenya and Africa.
She adds, “We’re open to collaborating with partners who share our vision.”
Produced by Blackwell Films in conjunction with Ripple Productions, Act Of Love received funding from Some Fine Day Pix, GIZ, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation & Development of Germany, and DocuBox East Africa Fund, with support from Naomi Mburuh Films, Film Studios, and Jenga Leo.
