Kenyan Short Film Urefu wa Kamba Makes Debut at Cannes
Kenyan Short Film Urefu wa Kamba (The Length of a Rope) made as the first independently produced Kenyan short film to screen at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival under the Pavillon Afriques programme.
The powerful 16-minute film, directed by Mageto Ndege and produced by Kelvin Osoo, captivated an international audience with its storytelling, emotional, and raw depiction of family trauma.
Set in the emotional aftermath of a house fire, Urefu wa Kamba follows three sisters, one of whom is deaf as they navigate the suffocating weight of silence, resentment, and buried truths. Shot over the course of a single day, the film uses sparse dialogue, physical distance, and unspoken pain to unravel the complex bonds that tie us to family. The film’s deliberate ambiguity invites the audience to feel the tension, and confront the discomfort of unresolved emotions.
“We filmed thieproject in a single day, with no traditional funding, and with every frame shaped by urgency and intention,” said Kelvin Osoo, the film’s producer. “What started as a passion project among friends became a defining moment for us as storytellers and for Kenya as a filmmaking nation. Standing in Cannes, watching our work on screen, was more than validation. It was a reminder that East African stories, told with emotional honesty and cultural depth, belong in the world’s most revered creative spaces.”
The Cannes screening marked a major milestone not only for the filmmakers but for the evolution of Kenyan film. For Different Dimension Productions (DDP), the Nairobi-based studio behind the film is more than a breakthrough. It’s a calling card for what the future of African filmmaking could look like; independent, emotionally grounded, and rooted in local truths while reaching global audiences.
“We didn’t go to Cannes to chase lights. We went because we believe deeply in the stories we tell and the systems we need to build to keep telling them,” said Mageto Ndege, the film’s director and writer. “This film was a test of restraint, of emotional risk, and of belief. And now, more than ever, we’re committed to building the kind of creative infrastructure in Kenya that makes it possible for stories like this to exist beyond luck, beyond chance. This is just the beginning.”
Following the screening, DDP participated in a reception alongside fellow African filmmakers and cultural stakeholders. The gathering was more than a toast to a milestone, it became a space for dialogue around the future of independent African cinema. Urefu wa Kamba is its first fully owned intellectual property and a bold step forward in its mission to shape the future of African film from the inside out.
