The European Union (EU) in Kenya recently held an online event hosted by 2 Kenyan artists; Sanaipei Tande and Nyashinski, to mark Europe Day 2021. The online event showcased Team Europe’s work in Kenya and also included musical performances by the 2 artists. The Europe Day event was followed by the launch of the European Film Festival with European and Kenyan Films, which runs from 9th to 30th May, 2021.
The online event featured video messages from the EU Ambassador to Kenya, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, EU Member States Ambassadors, the European Investment Bank (EIB), among others. This years’ Europe Day program also included musical performances by local artistes; Nyashinki, Sanaipei Tande, Ghetto Classics featuring the EU’s very own Chargée d’Affaires a.i and Katrin Hagemann.
The launch of the European Film Festival will include a Fado performance by the Portuguese singer, Viviane. This years’ festival will be the first of its kind by the European Union in Kenya, in that it will offer an entirely virtual experience. The screening platform, Festival Scope, will showcase a number of films that you can watch on demand, specifically curated and geo-blocked for Kenyan audiences.
A viewer will need to create a profile on Festival Scope in order get a festival pass for the streaming service. The available free tickets will be issued on a first come basis and are limited per film.
The EU Delegation to Kenya’s Chargée d’Affairs a.i H.E. Katrin Hagemann, noted, “This year we are opening up Europe Day to as wide an audience as possible. Any Kenyan with an internet connection will be able to follow Europe Day and the European Film Festival. Thanks to streaming technology, nobody will be deprived of events that celebrate our diverse heritage, culture and traditions.”
Kenya Film Commission CEO, Mr. Timothy Owase highlighted, “The COVID-19 pandemic has hit artistes and filmmakers hard and it is our responsibility to support our creatives through these difficult times. We are happy that the EU chose to feature the film Lame, one of the films produced under our local film empowerment program and which premiered in December 2020 during the Eldoret Film Festival.”