Best Kenyan movies
A curated collection of popular movies from Kenya.
Rafiki (2018)
Rafiki (2018)
Kena and Ziki long for something more. Despite the political rivalry between their families, the girls resist and remain close friends, supporting each other to pursue their dreams in a conservative society. When love blossoms between them, the two girls will be forced to choose between happiness and safety.
The First Grader (2010)
The First Grader (2010)
The true story of an 84 year-old Kenyan villager and ex Mau Mau freedom fighter who fights for his right to go to school for the first time to get the education he could never afford.
Nairobi Half Life (2012)
Nairobi Half Life (2012)
Mwas, a young aspiring actor from upcountry Kenya dreams of becoming an accomplished actor one day, and in pursuit of this, he makes his way to Nairobi, the city of opportunity. He quickly understands why Nairobi is nicknamed Nairrobery as he is bereaved of all his money and belongings and left alone in a city where he doesn’t know a soul. Luck or the lack of it brings Mwas face to face with the city’s criminals and forms a friendship with a small time crook who takes him in. He is quickly drawn into a world of crime as he struggles to pursue his dream of becoming an actor. Keeping the two worlds separate proves to be a challenge for Mwas as he steps into this unknown world called Nairobi.
Nawi (2024)
Nawi (2024)
Nawi is a Kenyan film that explores the intricate themes of love, identity, and cultural heritage, set against the vibrant backdrop of modern-day Kenya. The narrative centers on a young woman who is caught between the traditions of her upbringing and the pressures of contemporary life. As she confronts the weight of familial expectations and the pull of her own dreams, she embarks on a transformative journey of self-discovery.
Softie (2020)
Softie (2020)
Boniface Mwangi is daring and audacious, and recognized as Kenya’s most provocative photojournalist. But as a father of three young children, these qualities create tremendous turmoil between him and his wife Njeri. When he wants to run for political office, he is forced to choose: country or family?
Between the Rains (2023)
Between the Rains (2023)
Between the Rains is a coming-of-age story of Kolei, a shepherd boy whose name translates to “living amongst the goats.” Unfolding over the course of a prolonged drought, viewers are pressed deeper into Kolei’s inner conflict as he questions not only his own identity as a warrior — a path that was chosen for him —but also the erosion of the culture that has shaped every aspect of his life. For Kolei, becoming a warrior not only shapes masculinity and personal identity, but it is also the very foundation on which this community and society root their lives. It is a sacred, guiding pillar.
Christmas Love (2021)
Christmas Love (2021)
A father struggling to balance career and family gets unexpected help and must make a hard choice as he learns the value of presence over presents.
Milking the Rhino (2009)
Milking the Rhino (2009)
Milking the Rhino is a 2009 documentary film that examines the relationship between the indigenous African wildlife, the villagers who live amongst this wildlife and conservationists who look to keep tourism dollars coming in. Both the Massai of Kenya and the Ovahimba of Namibia have spent centuries as cattle farmers. With their lands being turned into protected game reserves, these ancient tribes have turned to tourism as a means of survival. While some environmentalists think that community-based conservation is ideal for these villagers, the dangers of drought and the starvation of their cattle remains a constant reality.
Tapi! (2020)
Tapi! (2020)
Tapi! is a short documentary that explores a formative moment in the life of Kenyan ritual healer Jackson, one of the last practitioners of the ritual healing practice called utapishi ('tapi'). The leaders of the local Christian church are not happy with the influence of the ritual and decide to go to court. Jackson pushes back against the threat of tapi's prohibition by local Christian church movements who seem to be determined to erase the complex history of a people.
When Lambs Become Lions (2018)
When Lambs Become Lions (2018)
In the Kenyan bush, a crackdown on ivory poaching forces a silver-tongued second-generation poacher to seek out an unlikely ally in this fly-on-the-wall look at both sides of the conservation divide.
To Catch a Dream (2015)
To Catch a Dream (2015)
Ajuma - a grieving widow - is desperate to stop her recurring nightmares. In an effort to end them once and for all, she explores a forgotten fairy-tale remedy which leads her to unexpected discoveries.
40 Sticks (2020)
40 Sticks (2020)
A group of prisoners trapped in a crashed prison bus strive to stay alive when they realize there is a mysterious killer lurking in the shadows.
The Day I Will Never Forget (2002)
The Day I Will Never Forget (2002)
The practice of female genital mutilation is explored through personal stories of Kenyan women.
The Battle for Laikipia (2024)
The Battle for Laikipia (2024)
The stakes escalate in a longstanding conflict between Indigenous pastoralists and white landowners in Laikipia, Kenya, as unresolved historical injustices and the impact of climate change come to the forefront.
Thank You for the Rain (2017)
Thank You for the Rain (2017)
Five years ago Kisilu, a Kenyan farmer, started to use his camera to capture the life of his family, his village and the damages of climate change. When a violent storm throws him and a Norwegian filmmaker together we see him transform from a father, to a community leader and activist on the global stage.
Soul Boy (2010)
Soul Boy (2010)
Abila (14) lives in one of the most miserable slums in Africa. His girlfriend Shiku belongs to a different tribe, as the result of which he is not really allowed to fraternize with her. And then one drunken night his father gambles away his own soul.
Homecoming (2013)
Homecoming (2013)
Kenyan Jim Chuchu’s short film casts a voyeur’s obsession with the girl next door, blurring the lines between fantasy and reality, science fiction and fiction.
Yellow Fever (2012)
Yellow Fever (2012)
What does beauty look like? In this award-winning short, Kenyan filmmaker Ng’endo Mukii combines animation, performance, and experimental techniques to create a visually arresting and psychologically penetrating exploration of the insidious impact of Western beauty standards and media-created ideals on African women’s perceptions of themselves. From hair-straightening to skin-lightening, YELLOW FEVER unpacks the cultural and historical forces that have long made Black women uncomfortable, literally, in their own skin.
The Unknown Runner (2013)
The Unknown Runner (2013)
A STORY OF STRUGGLE, SACRIFICE AND DEDICATION Discover the world behind the Kenyan long-distance runners. See how they train, live an work hard to realize their dreams. Follow top athlete Geoffrey Kipsang. Watch him as he trains and paces for Haile Gebrselassie, and makes his debut at the 2012 Berlin Marathon.
Blind Love (2021)
Blind Love (2021)
A blind man and a deaf woman fall in love with each other, but their disabilities cause major communication problems.
How to Build a Library (2025)
How to Build a Library (2025)
Two intrepid Nairobi women decide to transform what used to be a whites-only library until 1958 into a vibrant cultural hub. Along the way, they must navigate local politics, raise millions for the rebuild, and confront the lingering ghosts of Kenya’s colonial past.
Subira (2019)
Subira (2019)
Subira, is a young, free-spirited girl from the rural areas of Kenya. She seems to have her whole life ahead of her, that is, until the death of her loving and encouraging father. Life hits her hard afterwards, with traditional submissive expectations preventing her from leading the life she desires.
Waithira (2017)
Waithira (2017)
A portrait of family, and a study of migration, assimilation and generational spirit in the most gentle and intimate of terms. Kenyan born Munyiri, partially raised in South Africa and much-travelled since, creates an autobiography-through biography of her late paternal grandmother, Waithira.
Tithes & Offerings (2019)
Tithes & Offerings (2019)
A humorous satire about a Kenyan charlatan who claims to be a “miracle healer”.
Tales of the Accidental City (2021)
Tales of the Accidental City (2021)
In this humorous and biting film, an eclectic group of people living in Nairobi gathers over Zoom for a court-ordered anger management class. As they swap stories and trade barbs, deeper issues with their lives and local government come to light.