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Soul Boy

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Soul Boy
Directed byHawa Essuman
Written byBilly Kahora
Produced byMarie Steinmann
Tom Tykwer
Siobhain "Ginger" Wilson
Guy Wilson
Verena Rahmig
Sarika Hemi Lakhani
StarringSamson Odhiambo
Leila Dayan Opou
Krysteen Savane
Frank Kimani
Joab Ogolla
Lucy Gachanja
Katherine Damaris
Kevin Onyango Omondi
Calvin Shikuku Odhiambo
Nordeen Abdulghani
CinematographyChristian Almesberger
Edited byNg´ethe Gitungo
Music byXaver von Treyer
Release dates
  • January 2010 (2010-01) (Göteborg)
  • March 4, 2010 (2010-03-04) (Kenya)
  • December 2, 2010 (2010-12-02) (Germany)
Running time
61 minutes
CountryKenya
LanguageSwahili

Soul Boy[1] is a 2010 Kenyan drama film, written by Billy Kahora and directed by Hawa Essuman. It developed under the mentorship of German director and producer Tom Tykwer in Kibera, one of the largest slums in the African continent, in the middle of Nairobi, Kenya. The film has received five nominations at the 2011 Africa Movie Academy Awards.[2][3]

The film originated in a workshop for young film enthusiasts from Nairobi, guided by German director Tom Tykwer.

Plot

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Nairobi, Kenya. 14-year-old Abila lives with his parents in Kibera, one of the largest slums in East Africa. One morning the teenager discovers his father ill and delirious. Someone has stolen his soul, mumbles the father. Abila is shocked and confused but wants to help his father and goes in search of the right remedy. Supported by his girlfriend Shiku, he embarks on an adventurous journey that leads him right to the heart of the microcosm that is his hometown.

Cast

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  • Samson Odhiambo as Abila
  • Leila Dayan Opou as Shiku
  • Krysteen Savane as Nyawawa
  • Frank Kimani as Macharia
  • Joab Ogolla as Abi's Father
  • Lucy Gachanja as Abi's Mother
  • Katherine Damaris as Aunt Susan
  • Kevin Onyango Omondi as Bojo
  • Calvin Shikuku Odhiambo as Kaka
  • Nordeen Abdulghani as Willie
  • Ginger Wilson as Claire
  • Nick Reding as Brian
  • John Githui as Matatu Tout
  • Tony Rimwa as Mr. Kamangu

Awards

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  • Veto Award - Afrika Filmfestival Leuven, Belgium
  • Signis Award - Zanzibar International Film Festival[4]
  • Polish Filmmakers Association Award - Ale Kino! International Young Audience Film Festival, Poznań, Poland
  • Best Short Film - Kalasha Awards, Nairobi, Kenya[5]
  • Best Lead Actor: Samson Odhiambo - Kalasha Awards, Nairobi, Kenya[5]
  • Best Scriptwriter: Billy Kahora - Kalasha Awards, Nairobi, Kenya[5]
  • Best Actor: Samson Odhiambo - Kenya International Film Festival, Nairobi, Kenya[6]
  • Best East African Film - Kenya International Film Festival, Nairobi, Kenya[7]
  • Special Mention "Passeurs d’images" prize - Festival Ciné Junior (Ciné Junior film festival for Kids), Paris, France
  • The Young Jury Prize - Festival Ciné Junior, Paris, France
  • Best Fiction Award 2011 - European Spiritual Film Festival, Paris, France
  • Best Children's Film Award 2011 - Kirchliches Filmfestival Recklinghausen (de), Germany[8]
  • Best Editor: Ephantus Ng'ethe Gitungo - Africa Movie Academy Awards[9]

Festivals

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Germany

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2010: Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale)[10]

International

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2010
2010: Gothenburg Film Festival[11]
2010: International Film Festival Rotterdam[12]
2010: Afrika-Filmfestival[13]
2010 Edinburgh International Film Festival[14]
2010 Durban International Film Festival[15]
2010 Sydney Film Festival[16]
2010 Cinemafrica Stockholm[17]
2010 Nairobi, Kenya Premiere
2010 African Film Festival Tarifa[18]
2010 Sydney Film Festival[19]
2010 Festival du Cinéma Africain de Khouribga[20]
2010 Seoul Intl Youth Film Festival[21]
2010 Montreal World Film Festival[22]
2010 Cinemas D'Afrique[23]
2010 Cambridge Film Festival[24]
2010 Montreal Intl Black Film Festival[25]
2010 Films From the South OSLO[26]
2010 Hamptons Intl Film Festival[27]
2010 Warsaw Film Festival[28]
2010 Carlow African Film Festival[29]
2010 Discovery Film Festival[30]
2010 Chicago Intl Children's Film Festival[31]
2010 Carthage Film Festival[32]
2010 African Diaspora Film Festival NY[33]
2010 Palm Springs Film Festival[34]
2010 San Diego Black Film Festival[35]
2010 Adelaide Film Festival[36]
2010 FESPACO, Burkina Faso[37]
2010 Birds Eye View FF[38]
2010 FEBIOFEST[39]
2010 Toronto IFF for children[40]
2010 ReelWorld Film Festival[41]
2010 Ecrans Noirs - Cameroun[42]
2010 Rwanda Film Festival[43]
2010 Zanzibar Film Festival, Tanzania[44]
2010 Zimbabwe International Film Festival
2010 Kenya International Film Festival[45]
2010 Amakula Kampala International FilmFestival, Uganda[46]
2010 Ethiopia Film Festival[47]
2010 Festival du film de Dakar, Senegal
2010 Quintessence, Benin[48]
2011
  • Cinema Le Bretagne (France)[49]
  • Plein La Bobine (France)[50]
  • Addis Film Festival (Ethiopia)[51]
  • Chennai Women In Films Festival (India)[52]
  • Fiuggi Family Festival (Italy)[53]
  • Salaam Festival (Denmark)[54]
  • Cine Sparks Festival (Australia)[55]

Reception

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Critical response

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Andrew Onyango reviewing for KenyaBuzz was mesmerized by how much "surreal" the world of the movie is, adding that the scripts use of Swahili strengthened the film's impact: "The Swahili speaking audience (particularly those exposed to the dialect being used) feel a powerful sense of identification. There is nothing like hearing it firsthand because the translation loses some of the impact of the words."[56]

References

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  1. ^ "Soul Boy | Movies | KenyaBuzz". www.kenyabuzz.com. Retrieved 2016-06-20.
  2. ^ Soul Boy at IMDb
  3. ^ "AMAA Nominations 2011". Africa Movie Academy Awards. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
  4. ^ "2010 Winners. Signis Award". ziff.or.tz. Zanzibar International Film Festival. 2010-08-25. Archived from the original on 2010-08-25. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  5. ^ a b c "Kalasha 2010 Winners". www.kalashaawards.co.ke. Archived from the original on 2012-11-22. Retrieved 2018-04-27.
  6. ^ Kenya International Film Festival: Best Actor[permanent dead link]
  7. ^ Kenya International Film Festival: Best East African Film[permanent dead link]
  8. ^ "Programm 2011". www.kirchliches-filmfestival.de (in German). Kirchliches Filmfestival Recklinghausen. Archived from the original on 2017-03-15. Retrieved 2024-01-30.. No mention of the prize here.
  9. ^ Best Editor, African Movie Academy Awards Archived 2011-04-03 at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ Berlinale Generation 2010: Soul Boy
  11. ^ Gothenburg Film Festival: Soul Boy
  12. ^ "Soul Boy Hawa Essuman IFFR 2010 Signals - Where Is Africa 60' Kenia2010". International Film Festival Rotterdam. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  13. ^ Afrika Filmfestival 2010 in Leuven, Belgium: Soul Boy
  14. ^ Edinburgh International Film Festival: Soul Boy
  15. ^ Durban International Film Festival: Soul Boy
  16. ^ Sydney Film Festival: Soul Boy
  17. ^ Cinemafrica Stockholm: Soul Boy
  18. ^ African FF Tarifa
  19. ^ Sydney Film Festival: Soul Boy
  20. ^ Khouribga Maroc: Soul Boy
  21. ^ Seoul Intl Youth FF
  22. ^ Montreal World FF
  23. ^ Cinemas D'Afrique: Soul Boy
  24. ^ Cambridge Film Festival: Soul Boy
  25. ^ Montreal Intl Black Film Festival
  26. ^ Films From the South Oslo: Soul Boy
  27. ^ Hamptons Intl Film Festival
  28. ^ Warsaw Film Festival
  29. ^ Carlow African Film Festival: Soul Boy
  30. ^ Discovery Film Festival
  31. ^ Chicago Intl Children's Film Festival
  32. ^ Carthage Film Festival
  33. ^ African Diaspora Film Festival
  34. ^ Palm Springs IFF: Soul Boy
  35. ^ San Diego Black Film Festival
  36. ^ Adelaide Film Festival: Soul Boy
  37. ^ FESPACO
  38. ^ Birds Eye View Film Festival: Soul Boy
  39. ^ FEBIOFEST
  40. ^ Toronto IFF for children: Soul Boy
  41. ^ ReelWorld Film Festival
  42. ^ Ecrans Noirs
  43. ^ Rwanda Film Festival
  44. ^ Zanzibar Film Festival: Soul Boy
  45. ^ Kenya International Film Festival
  46. ^ Amakula Kampala International FilmFestival
  47. ^ Ethiopia Film Festival
  48. ^ Quintessence
  49. ^ Cinema Le Bretagne
  50. ^ Plein La Bobine
  51. ^ Addis Film Festival
  52. ^ Chennai Women In Films Festival
  53. ^ Fiuggi Family Festival
  54. ^ Salaam Festival
  55. ^ Cine Sparks Festival
  56. ^ "'Soul Boy' Review". www.kenyabuzz.com. Retrieved 2016-06-20.
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