The Kenyan film industry is set to have a policy by January 2017, setting stage for robust growth of the industry and possible amendments to the law guided by the policy.
Mr. Joe Okudo, Principal Secretary Arts & Culture in the Ministry of Sports set the stage for the finalization of the current draft policy when he met stakeholders this week. Confirming the process, George Gachara who attended the meeting and is a Director at Heva Fund, an organization that funds films and also an award winning film maker said the move is very progressive as among other things, it will provide incentives to grow the industry.
Film industry players will be meeting from the 30th November – 3rd December 2016, for the validation workshop of the film policy. Representatives from various industry players; actors, producers, Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB), Kenya Film Commission (KFC) and script writers among others will have their say during the workshop in order to have an all inclusive policy.
At the validation workshop, Heva Fund will contribute to setting and shaping the agenda of the four days as representatives of the sector.
The policy comes at a time when KFCB is at logger heads with industry players over a proposed review of the current law, Films and Stage Plays Act (CAP 222). Industry players have vouched for setting aside the review process until the sector has a policy. This way, the proposed review will contribute to strengthening the provisions in the policy.
The 43 page draft policy dubbed the National Film Policy 2015 reads in part that it
addresses the need to better market and position Kenya by giving it a competitive edge as a preferred filming destination globally. It also recommends an enhancement of the functions and responsibilities of the respective State Agencies in the film industry so that they are strategically placed to meet the needs of the industry.
In addition, it appreciates the history of the sector and underscores the potential for contribution to the economy of the country, the importance of the sector in fostering national cohesion and integration, culture and heritage as well as branding Kenya’s national identity as a country and finally, promoting tourism.
After the validation workshop, the policy will come into effect on January 1st 2017. Stakeholders have therefore been urged to contribute through their representatives’ issues which they want the policy to address.
Find the draft here draft-national-film-policy