sema stori

On September 16, 2019, we invited 10 talented filmmakers from across East Africa to a lab to begin productions on ten impactful short documentary films in their own unique voices for our very first Sema Stori Program based on the four pillars of Mental Health, Early Childhood Development, Gender Justice and Right to Safe & Secure Shelter and Settlement.

Following a year of development and mentorship with these filmmakers, the films were finally released online to great acclaim by viewers locally in East Africa. Kindly stay up to date with the official Sema Stori Facebook page linked below to catch each of the films as they start their regional impact campaign. This workshop was made possible by our good friends over at Comic Relief who understand the impact a good story can have on the communities it comes across.

SEMA STORI 2021 SCREENING

Sema Stori Film Makers

I am a creative who is passionate about storytelling and enjoy every aspect of it.

I am a storyteller, film is my most preferred medium of communication.

"I have always wanted to make films and I can confidently say I am living my dream. Africans are storytellers and in the past, education, knowledge, history, and almost every aspect of life was passed down through oral storytellers.

In the 21st century my tool of choice is film. I want to create films that compel, expose,challenge, and ultimately lead to some sort of transformation. I am committed to telling African stories that matter."

"I am a Laikipian Maasai,and the first female filmmaker in my community with interests in documenting and linking, amplifying and scaling up youth and women voices across diverse cultures in Kenya,worldwide and in the future."

Lydia Matata is a Kenyan filmmaker and independent journalist. She is currently directing her first feature film, a documentary called Better Sundays.

Lydia is an alumni of the Maisha Scriptwriting Lab and has received further script writing training through One Fine Day Film’s The Brainroom. In addition she has worked as a journalist for over 6 years.

Lwal, started film way back in high school and professionally first as a production accountant in 2011. He has since worked as a Production Manager/ Line producer and Producer in shows like Noose of Gold, Demigods, The State House, Mwangaza and several movies for Maisha Magic.

Lydia is an alumni of the Maisha Scriptwriting Lab and has received further script writing training through One Fine Day Film’s The Brainroom. In addition she has worked as a journalist for over 6 years.

Nick Wambugu is an award-winning film director, producer and drone pilot. With 6 documentaries and 7 short films across Europe and Africa under his belt, he was the drone pilot for Academy Award nominee and Student Academy Award winning film Watu Wote.

 

Lydia is an alumni of the Maisha Scriptwriting Lab and has received further script writing training through One Fine Day Film’s The Brainroom. In addition she has worked as a journalist for over 6 years.

He is a recipient of the 2015 Kalasha Award Best Director in a Short Film and a nominee for Kalasha Awards 2018 Best Documentary category.

Nick Njache is a Kenyan Director, Screenwriter, Actor and Producer in a career spanning almost two decades, he has had the great opportunity to work in both international and local productions including working as an assistant director (Kenya) for the award winning international production “The Constant Gardener”, “Africa Mon Amour” and “Die Patriachen”.He works in film development for Machakos County, Kenya as an Assistant Director Film Production and is a director of the company, Take Nine Limited.

Abdulkadir A.S Abdullahi is a writer, director, cinematographer and editor, a multifaceted filmmaker. Born and raised in Nairobi Kenya, Abdulkadir later moved to San Francisco California, where he studied at the Academy Of Art University and received a bachelor’s of fine Art in Cinematography.

Abdulkadir worked for the XYZ show season 12, a political satire show, as its cinematographer and later director. He would go on to complete the season successful having shot 26 episodes in total.

Tim Mwaura is a filmmaker, editor and cinematographer living in Nairobi, Kenya. He is the director of FullFilmEnt Company Limited. He works in the field as director of photography, director, editor, colourist and photographer to deliver excellent communication products from a broad spectrum from development to the commercial sectors. Film has taken him to places he only dreamt of, schooling him on topics best understood in real time - while on set.He has completed his first feature film SUBIRA in 2016 - a documentary film about people living with Epilepsy in Kenya.

Our Mentors

Sema Stori focused on creating documentary shorts made through small awards to talented film makers in the region, and with support to assist film makers to access mentoring, tapping into opportunities for their films to be seen, and focusing up front on the social impact they want to create. Get to know more about the Mentors for Sema Stori below:

OUR PARTNERS