If you didn't already know, when he's not busy adapting what has been deemed unadaptable, while working with the Wachowski siblings on Cloud Atlas, German filmmaker Tom Tykwer (Run Lola, Run, Perfume) is producing Kenyan films via his alternative film production company, One Fine Day Films , which he co-founded in 2008 with his girlfriend/partner, Marie Steinmann, with the goal being to promote and support filmmaking for aspiring filmmakers in Nairobi (Kenya), with Nairobi-based producing partners Ginger Ink.
S&A has covered every film that's been developed under the One Fine Day Films banner – Soul Boy, from director Hawa Essuman (which had its official world premiere at the Göteborg International Film Festival in Sweden, in February 2010; later screened at the Rotterdam Film Festival, the Berlin Film Festival, and the Africa Diaspora Film Festival here in New York, among others); and, most recently, the crime drama titled Nairobi Half Life, from director David Tosh Gitonga, which made its world premiere at the Durban International Film Festival in South Africa last month, where its star, Joseph Wairimu, won the Best Actor award, was generally very well received.
We look for it to continue its film festival travels throughout this year.
This week, we learned of an upcoming 3rd feature film project from the One Fine Day Films/Ginger Ink production collab, which is said to be in post-production currently, and which you should know about.
Titled Something Necessary, the film will introduce us to the talents of yet another Kenyan filmmaker with a film produced under the One Fine Day Films banner, Judy Kibinge; although, for some familiar with her work, it'll be more like a re-introduction, because she's made 2 feature films already – one in 2002 titled Dangerous Affair, and the other in 2004 titled Project Daddy. Unfortunately, neither appears to be readily available for rent or purchase here in the USA, and I couldn't determine where/how exactly anyone interested will be able to find either film, no matter where you live.
Maybe someone reading this can help with that information.
From a screenplay written by Mungai Kiroga & JC Niala, the synopsis for Something Necessary reads:
SOMETHING NECESSARY is an intimate moment in the life of Anne, a woman struggling to rebuild her life after the civil unrest that swept Kenya after the 2007 elections claiming the life of her husband, the health of her son and leaving her home on an isolated farm in the Kenyan countryside in ruins. Once a nurse, with a solid career and loving family, she now has nothing but her resolve to rebuild her life left. Joseph, a troubled young gang member who participated in the countrywide violence is drawn to Anne and her farm seemingly in search of redemption. Both he and Anne need something that only the other can give to allow them to shed the painful memories of their past and move on – but will either of them find it?
Tom Tykwer, Marie Steinmann, Sarika Lakhani, Ginger Wilson & Guy Wilson are all listed as producers on the film, which is expected to debut, likely on the film festival circuit, in 2013.
Its Facebook page says that it's in post-production currently (the last Facebook post, dated July 18, includes a photo of musicians with their instruments, at work in a room, with a caption that reads:
Film Composer Matthias Petsche & musicians recording our soundtrack on Monday).
Matthias Petsche is a German composer with some 20 films on his resume.
There's nothing of the film to show yet, but now that we are aware of it, you can bet we will have our eyes and ears on alert for any news about it that's revealed.
We will also hunt for Judy Kibinge's films and share our results with you when we have something.
By the way, Tykwer's One Fine Day Films company has bases in both Germany and Kenya.
The photo at the top is from the set of Something Necessary.