The Goethe Institut Kenya and Docubox have officially formalized their long-standing collaboration through Kamera Kwanza, a premier film screening series dedicated to African documentaries.
The initiative addresses a common irony in African cinema: many acclaimed documentaries premiere at prestigious festivals in Europe and the United States but remain largely inaccessible to audiences within Africa. Kamera Kwanza seeks to bridge this gap.
“Kamera Kwanza reflects something we have held close for many years: that African documentaries deserve to live, to travel, and to be experienced by the audiences they speak to most intimately,” said Susan Mbogo, Executive Director at Docubox.
Since 2024, the partnership has already hosted 16 screenings. Beyond the films themselves, the series is known for its engagement, featuring Q&A sessions with directors and occasional masterclasses for emerging Kenyan filmmakers.
Cristina Nord, Director of the Goethe-Institut Kenya, noted the impact of these interactions: “The audience’s questions strike me as both thoughtful and compassionate. For filmmakers, the warm and informed response often sparks new ideas and emotions.”
The 2026 program is set to open on February 25th at the Goethe-Institut with a screening of Widow Champion (2025), the sophomore documentary from award-winning Kenyan filmmaker Zippy Kimundu.
The film follows Rodah Nafula, a widow and activist who challenges entrenched patriarchal traditions to empower women in her community. Having already made waves at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York, the film’s inclusion in Kamera Kwanza brings its message of resilience back to its home soil.
The partnership brings together three major pillars of the creative industry:
- Docubox: An East African film fund that has supported over 100 films in the last decade, providing a nurturing environment for independent filmmakers.
- Goethe-Institut: Germany’s cultural institute which promotes international cultural exchange and has been a cornerstone of Nairobi’s arts scene.
- Zippy Kimundu & Afrofilms International: Kimundu, the founder of Afrofilms International, is a globally recognized director whose work focuses on igniting political consciousness and documenting social justice.