The government has vowed to acquire a piece of land and build a new, cutting-edge campus for the Kenya Film School in a major uplift to the country’s creative industry that is growing rapidly.
While addressing the 4th graduation ceremony of the Kenya Film School at Kasarani Sports Centre, Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya told the audience the new college would have a world-class theatre hall, state-of-the-art film studios, digital editing suites, fully equipped sound stages, lecture rooms, and administrative offices.
Mvurya pointed out that this step is just one of many measures taken to revamp the creative economy in Kenya which is leading to the introduction of the Creative Economy Bill to the National Assembly, a move he sees as a radical step in the sector’s modernisation and formalisation.
At the institution, 94 students graduated after a one-year, talent-based film training programme, marking a significant milestone for the school. The graduates were awarded certificates in different film-related courses.
He said the new graduates should immediately put into good use the practical skills they have learned during their training and in this way they will not only be able to tap the opportunities in the fast-changing storytelling and film industry but also be the vehicle of Kenyan stories to the world.
Some of the graduates said they are already making money from their newly acquired skills while a few others expressed their confidence that their certification would give them a competitive advantage when they seek self-employment and job opportunities locally, regionally, and internationally.
The graduation is a testament to the growing momentum of Kenya’s creative sector as the government doubles its efforts to nurture talent and position the country as a regional hub for film and creative production.
