Safaricom Film Sponsorship has taken a major step forward in supporting Kenya’s creative industry through its backing of Kipkemboi, a Kenyan-Canadian film that celebrates homegrown storytelling and expands local access to quality entertainment content.
Shot in both Kenya and Canada, Kipkemboi tells the inspiring story of a brilliant young man from a remote village who creates a powerful algorithm, attracting the attention of global players. The project showcases Kenya’s stunning landscapes, rich culture, and rising talent.
As part of its sponsorship, Safaricom hosted a red-carpet premiere for Kipkemboi, bringing together cast and crew, content creators, and tech partners who are making local stories easier and more affordable to access.
The film is now available on Pasha, a video-on-demand service by Symbiotic Media. Viewers can stream the movie from their smartphones for as little as KES 100 for a 30-day pass, or KES 150 for the same duration with 1.5GB of data. The service is accessible via USSD 54446#.
“As a company rooted in Kenyan culture, we are proud to support a film that captures the spirit and global reach of local storytelling. With the Safaricom Film Sponsorship, we hope to bring more visibility to Kenyan creatives and inspire others in the industry,” said Fawzia Ali, Chief Consumer Business Officer, Safaricom PLC.
Kipkemboi was written by Joel Richardson and produced by Canada’s Jennifer Jonas and Leonard Farlinger, alongside Kenya’s Appie Matere. The film features a diverse cast including David Cubitt, Kevin Hanchard, Vinessa Antoine, Abel Mutua, Chichi Seii, and Thamela Mpumlwana. It was directed by award-winning Nigerian filmmaker Charles Uwagbai.
Mbugua Njihia, Director of Symbiotic Media, added, “This is more than just a film premiere it’s a celebration of authentic Kenyan stories, and a sign of what’s possible when industry leaders like Safaricom invest in storytelling that’s both accessible and sustainable.”
Kipkemboi has already made a strong impression on the international film stage,
earning critical acclaim and accolades at the 2024 African Film For Impact Festival
(AFFIF), the 2024 Directors Guild of Canada Awards and the 20 th Africa Movie Academy
Awards.
Over the years, Safaricom has been a steadfast supporter of Kenya’s creative industry,
continually investing in platforms such as SKIZA and Baze, empowering artists to earn
from their work, now enhanced by a direct-to-consumer digital approach that gives
creators more control and audiences easier access to local content.
