Message films in Africa: A look into the past
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Date
2016
Authors
Diang′a, Rachael
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Cogent OA
Abstract
Message film-making has characterised much of films produced in
post-independent Kenya. The country produced very few films in the 1980s, when
indigenous film-making actually began to take root. Liberalisation of the economy,
embracement of the digital technology and democratization in the 1990s paved
way for a more stable film culture in the decade. A more promising growth of the
film industry has been largely witnessed since the turn of the 21st century. Through
this period, I note a strong tendency to produce films that are loaded with social
messages deemed urgent and important to the target audience. In making these
films, the film-makers hope to make a positive impact in the lives of the target
audiences. These films tend to valorise the message, sometimes, neglecting the
basic filmic codes, a practice that renders the films less entertaining. This endangers
the growth of the industry since local films find very stiff competition from foreign
films that are common on Kenyan screens. This study therefore investigates possible
roots of message film-making in Africa that directly influence the tendencies
in Kenya by making references to other African countries’ film experiences. My assumption
is that Kenya’s cultural experiences are shared by other African countries
Description
Research Article
Keywords
Message films, Kenyan film, Postcolonial films, Oral tradition, Colonial films, Third cinema
Citation
Cogent Arts & Humanities (2016), 3: 1146109 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/23311983.2016.1146109