Supa Modo, Kenyan family drama wins Top Prize at Zanzibar International Film Festival 2018

Kenyan film “Supa Modo” has won the Best Film – Golden Dhow Award at the Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF) 2018.

The film directed by Likarion Wainaina, tells the story of a young girl whose dream of becoming a superhero is threatened by a terminal illness, inspiring her village to rally together to make her dream come true.

It is a wonderful story about resilience in the face of challenge, of hope in the imminence of defeat and a story of an African Hero in a little Girl.

The jury said: “From beginning to end, this film captures the audience with its gripping story. An entire village comes together to support one family, to cope with a terminally sick child. The filmmaker uses the magic and colour of cinema to lighten a painful situation.”

“Supa Modo” also won the European African Film Festival Award at the ZIFF 2018.

Organised under the theme “Speak Up Be heard” (Sema na Usikike), ZIFF held from 7th to 15th July 2018 attracted guests from all parts of the world.

The festival took place in various venues in and around the spectacular Stone Town Zanzibar.

On its 21st edition, ZIFF is proof that Africa has become a home to a vibrant film and television industry.

The organisers revealed that more than 4000 films were submitted for selection.

Commenting on this year’s final line-up, Festival Director Fabrizio Colombo said: “The sheer number of film submissions for ZIFF 2018 was a surprise. It is rewarding to see how much our Festival is growing and is attracting so many filmmakers around the world, but especially from our continent. We tried to stick close to our theme for this year, celebrating the courage of many filmmakers who are telling the truth and speaking out for positive change in this world.”

He added: “Surely, some films selected will shake the power systems and old mentalities and that is what cinema is all about, challenging perceptions and imagining a different world.”

“The Wedding Ring” directed by Rahmatou Keïta from Niger scooped the Bi-Kidude Chairman Award.

Ms Keïta thanked ZIFF for showcasing African films. She said she was both “surprised and happy” that ZIFF had selected her film.

Stressing that African funds were needed to fight for African identity, Ms Keïta encouraged all Africans to be proud of their cultures. People who abandon their cultures are a dead people, she said.

Several people who addressed the awards ceremony said African stories needed to be told by Africans.

Tanzania’s Catherine Credo won the Best Actress Award for her role in “Fatuma”.

The super-excited Ms Credo said that the film had won several awards abroad, but there was nothing as gratifying as being “recognised by your own people”.

“It’s all the inspiration I need for the next film,” she said.

“Bahasha” by John Riber from Tanzania won the Best Editing Award. It tells the story of an elected public official who betrays his family, friends and community by taking bribe. He learns the hard way and must now find the road to redemption.

This year’s Festival had a special focus on issues affecting women and this was reflected on the awards ceremony where most awards were scooped by women for their prominent roles in the film industry.

ZIFF is increasingly becoming a very important point of reference for African films. It encourages African youth to embrace production of films promoting African cultural values while challenging harmful and outdated cultural practices.

Festival Director Colombo revealed that the theme chosen for ZIFF 2019 is “A New Dawn” (Kumekucha).

ZIFF 2018 WINNERS LIST

EMERSON FOUNDATION JURY
BEST ZANZIBARI FILM
SISI NA WAO
BARKE ALI
Zanzibar

FILM SCHOOL JURY
SILVER DHOW AWARD
MISFIT
Karanja Ng’endo
Kenya

BEST FILM SCHOOL JURY
THE PEARL BOXER
Asimwe John Bibagamba
Tanzania

TV and WEB SERIES JURY
BEST TV SERIES FICTION
JAB
Lucilla Blankenberg,
SOUTH AFRICA

BEST TV SERIES NON FICTION
GIVING NATURE  A VOICE
Andrew Tkach  (Producer)
Kenya

BEST WEB SERIES NON FICTION
WAKUIGWA
Richard Magumba
Tanzania

BEST WEB SERIES FICTION
THE YARD
MOSES OWIRO
(Kenya)

BEST EAST AFRICA MUSIC VIDEO- TRACE MZIKI
Lameck Ditto
NABEMBEA

SIGNIS AWARD
SPECIAL MENTION
Liyana by Aaron Kopp
(Swaziland)

SIGNIS AWARD
Love and Shukla
Jatla Siddhartha (India)

SIGNIS – EAST AFRICAN TALENT AWARD
Kyenvu
Kemiyondo Coutinho (Uganda)

EUROPEAN AFRICAN FILM FESTIVALS AWARD
BEST FILM FROM EAST AFRICA
SUPA MODO
Likarion Wainaina
(Kenya/Germany)

ADIAHA AWARD
NEW MOON
Philippa Ndisi-Herrmann
Kenya

BI-KIDUDE CHAIRMAN AWARD
THE WEDDING RING
RAHMATOU KEÏTA
Niger

LIFE TIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
MARK LAVERI

SWAHILI FILM AWARDS

BEST SHORT FILM
PENDO
Faith Musembi
Kenya

BEST SOUND
SAFARI
Freddy Feruzi
Tanzania

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
FATUMA
by John Riber
TANZANIA

BEST EDITING
BAHASHA
by John Riber
TANZANIA

BEST SCREENPLAY
PENDO
Faith Musembi
Kenya

BEST ACTRESS
Catherine Credo
NEEMA (in FATUMA )

BEST ACTOR
AHMED SALIM – GABO
(in SEGERE )
Tanzania

BEST DIRECTOR
JORDAN RIBER
(FATUMA )
Tanzania

BEST FEATURE FILM  
FATUMA
Jordan Riber
TANZANIA

ZIFF SHORT FILM and SEMBENE OUSMANE JURY

BEST SHORT FILM
Aya
Moufida Fedhila
(Tunizia)

BEST SHORT FILM from DHOW CULTURES
Kuncup
Myrdal Muda
(Indonesia)

BEST SHORT FILM – AFRICAN ANIMATION
Got flowers Today
Jibril Mailafia
(Nigeria)

SEMBENE OUSMANE AWARD
Leah
Esther Mndeme
(Tanzania)

Mma Moeketsi
Rea Moeti
(South Africa)

ZIFF DOCUMENTARY JURY AWARD
SPECIAL JURY AWARD
A MEMORY IN THREE ACTS
INALDESO COSSA
Mozambique

BEST DOCUMENTARY
SILAS
Anjali Nayar, Hawa Essuman
(Canada | South Africa | Kenya)

ZIFF LONG FEATURE JURY AWARD

BEST FILM INTERNATIONAL
SILAS
Anjali Nayar, Hawa Essuman
(Canada | South Africa | Kenya)

BEST FILM  FROM DHOW COUNTRIES
MAJAN
Rahman Seifi Azada (Iran)

BEST EAST AFRICAN FILM
The Forbidden
Kizito Samuel Saviour (Uganda)

BEST FILM – GOLDEN DHOW
SUPA MODO
Likarion Wainaina (Kenya/Germany)

By Stephen Ogongo Ongong’a