Welcome to the July issue of the Kenya Film Commission’s e-newsletter.

Having just launched the third edition of the Kenya Internationally Film Festival to the media and public at large this month, the Commission continues to aggressively pursue the development of the local film industry.
At the heart of the Commission is the strategic intention to grow sustainability in the film industry through strengthening existing institutional frameworks. One such forum the Commission intends to achieve this task is by way of supporting the Kenya International Film Festival.

By signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Kenya International Film Festival Trust, the Commission has displayed its commitment towards developing the local film industry and creating a
film culture.

The commission is also focusing on addressing the legal and policy gaps within the national legislative and regulatory frameworks, developing a national screen culture and developing reliable marketing and distribution channels for film content. We are also creating awareness and assisting in the enforcement of Intellectual Property and the protection of artists’ rights. At the Macro level want to participate to a greater extent in the development of the arts and culture industry so as
to create synergies around common concerns facing Kenya today. We believe these priorities will enhance the vibrancy and catalyze rapid growth of the industry.

We also are keen to take advantage of regional integration that is now opening up opportunities for trade and industry, film markets and regional creative ‘hybriding’. We are actively seeking regional partnerships to extent the reach of Kenyan films to propagate entrepreneurship and creative flare. To this end KFC and other partners will in September 2008 play a critical role in hosting a Pan African TV Broadcasting and Film convergence Conference that will draw delegates from across the continent to deliberate on integration, synergy and collaboration for African film development. We hope that Kenya’s participation at this forum will allow us latitude to lead and shape issues for Africa’s film development.

The Commission takes this opportunity to appeal to potential partners and institutions of goodwill to support the Kenya International Film Festival set to take place in October as a means of preserving our cultural posterity.