Kenyan film director Wanuri Kahiu, who made news after her film Rafiki was banned by the Kenya Film and Classification Board (KFCB) in April has once again proved her mettle in the industry after being chosen to direct Covers, a romance film for global film studio Universal Pictures and Working Tittle, a British Production house owned by the former.
Born in Nairobi, Wanuri is part of the new generation of African storytellers. Her stories and films have received international acclaim. Her films screened in numerous film festivals around the world
Universal and Working Tittle enlisted the services of Wanuri following an international search for a director to direct first-time screenwriter Flora Greeson’s screenplay, which the American studio has acquired.
She will work alongside Working Title’s Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner who will produce and Alexandra Loewy who will executive produce. Universal’s Erik Baiers will be the supervising producer.
Rafiki which was the first Kenyan movie from to be selected to screen at the Cannes Film Festival was banned for its LGBT theme.
Wanuri Kahiu is a Kenyan film director, producer, and author. She has received several awards and nominations for the films which she directed, including the awards for Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Picture at the Africa Movie Academy Awards in 2009 for her dramatic feature film From a Whisper.
Wanuri’s first feature film From A Whisper, based on the real events surrounding the 1998 twin bombings of US Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania won Best Narrative Feature in 2010 at the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles, as well as five awards at the African Movie Academy Award, including Best Director and Best Screenplay.
After Kahiu refused to alter Rafiki,the film and it was banned, the Kenyan High Court granted a temporary lift to allow the movie to have a seven-day Oscar-qualifying run in Kenyan cinemas. The film also was picked to screen at the Toronto Film Festival, London Film Festival and AFI Fest, among others.