A pop-up cinema initiative is taking storytelling directly into Kenya’s community hubs, social halls, and cultural gardens. Curated by Wanjeri Gakuru of the Mengi Mengi Film Club and supported by the British Council Season Legacy Programme, We Love Sinema (WLS) is a free, six-month film experience running from July through December 2026.
The program bridges diverse storytelling traditions by pairing Kenyan, Pan-African, and British narrative and documentary works in direct conversation with one another. Featuring licensed releases from local filmmakers alongside selections from the British Council’s International Touring Programmes, including the BAFTA Shorts 2025/2026, The Grierson Trust, and Reclaim, Reframe, Rejoice.
We Love Sinema makes cinema accessible to everyone by taking films out of traditional multiplexes and bringing them into community spaces, the initiative creates accessible third spaces.
The tour spans seven key locations across Kenya: Nairobi, Machakos, Kisumu, Embu, Kilifi, Eldoret, and Turkana, alongside a special presentation at the Pan-African Biennale.
To anchor these experiences within local communities, WLS has partnered with a diverse network of grassroots cultural spaces, including:
- Nairobi & Surrounds: Nairobi Film Centre (formerly Nairobi Cinema), Sarakasi Dome (formerly Shah Cinema), Jericho Social Hall, The Alchemist, K1 Movie Night with Mugambi Nthiga, and Zahabu Culture Garden.
- Regional Hubs: Embu IFCA (Embu), Machakos Social Hall (Machakos), Baraza Media Lab (Kisumu), Kikao64 (Eldoret), Kilifi Creek Festival (Kilifi), and the Ateker Film Festival (Turkana).
Beyond offline gatherings, We Love Sinema offers capacity-building opportunities for aspiring filmmakers through a dedicated series of online masterclasses.
Screenings & event dates
- July 25: Zahabu Culture Garden
- July 30: Embu IFCA
- August 15: Machakos Social Hall
- August 22: Sarakasi Dome
- September 7–11: Pan-African Biennale
- September 19: Nairobi Film Centre
- October 17: Jericho Social Hall
- November 4: The Alchemist
- November 14: Baraza Media Lab, Kisumu
- December 7: K1 Movie Night
- December 11: Kikao64, Eldoret
- Dates TBC: Ateker Film Festival (Turkana) & Kilifi Creek Festival (Kilifi)
Virtual workshop series
- July 15: Directing
- August 12: Animation
- September 16: Scriptwriting
- October 14: Cinematography
Details regarding event registration, venue updates, and workshop access are regularly updated HERE and on Instagram.