On Wednesday 25 March, the Kenya Film Commission (KFC) announced the nominees for the 14th edition of the Kalasha International Film and TV Awards at a ceremony held at Anga Cinema, Panari, marking the awards’ return after a one-year hiatus. A total of 185 submissions were received across 40 categories, with 18 of these open to public voting, which is now underway.

The Kalasha Awards, KFC’s flagship event, celebrate excellence in film and television production, recognizing outstanding talent across the Kenyan and African creative industry.

“The Awards in their 14^th edition builds on the legacy of previous ceremonies that have helped raise the bar for quality productions, creativity and professionalism. Our theme: “Innovating Tradition, Re-inventing Storytelling One Frame at a Time,” is beautifully reflected in these entries” said KFC CEO Timothy Owase.

Owase added that this year’s nominees will receive a cash prize of Kshs. 200,000 per category. Additionally, KFC will introduce two new categories for digital content creators as the industry continues to evolve towards digital platforms.

In the film category, Kenya’s Oscar 2025 entry Nawi leads overall nominations with 15 nods including Best Feature, Best Lead Actress (for Michelle Lemuya) and Best Director for Toby and Kevin Schmutzler, Vallentine Chelluget and Apuu Mourine. Nawi is followed closely by the short film Owadwa, with 14 nominations including Best Director (for Shandra Apondi), Best Original Screenplay, Best Lead Actor (Brian Furaha) and Best Lead Actress (Beatrice Kamuyu).

Other nominees in film include the short film Sukari, with 13 nominations, including Best Director for Omar Hamza; Kenyan-Swedish thriller The Dog with10 nominations. Damien Hauser’s Memory of Princess Mumbi, which opened at the 2025 Venice Film Festival, received only six nominations.

In TV, Big Girl Small Word (Showmax), directed by Nick Mutuma, Kash Money (Netflix) and MTV Shuga Mashariki—which returned to Kenya after 15 years—lead with 8 nominations each, including Best TV Drama, Best Lead Actor and Best Lead Actress. Showmax sci-fi Subterranea, directed by Likarion Wainaina is a close second with 7 nominations each.

As far as production houses go, Insignia Productions has emerged as a dominant force in the TV field, with Kash Money, Single Kiasi (six nominations) and The Chocolate Empire (four nominations) collectively accounting for a significant share of the nominations.

Prefects, which was nominated at the International Emmy Awards in 2025—becoming only the second Kenyan title to achieve the feat—received just two nominations.

Winners will be announced at a gala ceremony on 2 May 2026, as part of the Kalasha International Film & TV Market, Festival and Awards taking place from 28 April to 2 May 2026 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC). The multi-day event brings together filmmakers, distributors, industry stakeholders and innovators, offering a platform for dialogue, policy exchange and collaboration.

Sinema Focus will publish a full analysis of this year’s nominations and the Kalasha Awards system, examining what they reveal about the state of the awards and the industry.

In the meantime, below is the full list of nominees for the 2026 Kalasha Awards.

BEST FEATURE FILM

• Nawi — Brizan Were
• The Dog — Appie Matere
• Sketchy Africans — Vincent Mbaya & Sally Nyoike
• Safari — Reuben Odanga
• S.He Gets Me — Millicent Ogutu

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BEST LEAD ACTOR IN A FILM

• Juma Mdoe (Sukari)
• Brian Furaha (Owadwa)
• Joe Kinyua (S.He Gets Me)
• Jeff Omondi (Kanairo)
• Alexander Karim (The Dog)
• Bruce Makau (2 Asunder)
• Elsaphan Njora (Transaction)

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BEST LEAD ACTRESS IN A FILM

• Mumtaz Dhulfiqar (Sukari)
• Michelle Lemuya (Nawi)
• Gachiki Gachiki (Transaction)
• Nyokabi Macharia (Sketchy Africans)
• Shandra Apondi (Memory of Princess Mumbi)
• Angela Mwandanda (S.He Gets Me)
• Beatrice Kamuyu (Owadwa)

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BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A FILM

• Jave Samson (Sukari)
• Derrick Agwingi (Owadwa)
• Morris Mwangi (Sketchy Africans)
• Kevin Maina (2 Asunder)
• Blessing Lung’aho (Ajeni)
• Fish Chege (Transaction)

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BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A FILM

• Ivy Collette (Owadwa)
• Sanaipei Tande (2 Asunder)
• Brenda Michelle (Makosa Ni Yangu)
• Kui Kabana (Bella Is Dying Maybe Next Week)
• Caroline Midimo (The Dog)
• Michelle Tiren (Nawi)

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BEST DIRECTOR

• Omar Hamza (Sukari)
• Mark Maina (The People Shall)
• Shandra Apondi (Owadwa)
• Toby and Kevin Schmutzler, Vallentine Chelluget and Apuu Mourine (Nawi)
• Wanjeri Gakuru (Transaction)
• Cecimercy Wanza (Kanairo)
• Baker Karim (The Dog)
• Damien Hauser (Memory of Princess Mumbi)

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BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

• Sukari — June Wairegi & Omar Hamza
• Transaction — Wanjeri Gakuru
• Owadwa — Shandra Apondi
• Kanairo — Clementina Kabutha & Cecimercy Wanza
• S.He Gets Me — Brian Munene
• Ngone Mwaitu — Jackline Emali
• Memory of Princess Mumbi — Damien Hauser
• Sketchy Africans — Veronika Kotengo
• Nawi — Milcah Cherotich

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BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER

• Nawi – Dear Future Me — Klaus Kneist
• Owadwa — Damien Hauser
• The Dog — Andrew Mungai and Baker Karim
• The People Shall — Bryan Adagala
• Sukari — Mohamed Zanudin
• Sarah — Joan Poggio
• Makosa Ni Yangu — Mohammed Zain
• Transaction — Geoffrey Mwangi
• Kanairo — Jackson Kang’ethe

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BEST SOUND DESIGNER

• Sukari — Omar Hamza
• The People Shall — Seam P.
• Kanairo — Daniel “Clue” Ateng
• Sarah — Teddy Priest Ochieng
• Nawi — Roman Pogorzelski
• Owadwa — Michael “Cap” Chepkwony

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BEST FILM SCORE

• Sukari — Frank Matovu
• Memory of Princess Mumbi — Damien Hauser
• Nawi – Dear Future Me — Amadeus Indetzki and Apuu Mourine
• Owadwa — Billy Black
• Kanairo — Mbinu Mbili
• Wamaitha — Muringi Matheri

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BEST EDITOR

• Sukari — Omar Hamza
• The People Shall — Mark Maina
• Nawi – Dear Future Me — Toby Schmutzler
• Owadwa — Jibril Drake
• Memories of Prince Mumbi — Damien Hauser

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BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

• Memory of Princess Mumbi — Damien Hauser
• The Last Message — David Wachira
• 2 Asunder — Grace Murema
• Nawi – Dear Future Me — Not Stated
• Bus 338 — Chol Jurkuch

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BEST GAFFER

• The Dog — Walter Odhiambo
• Nawi – Dear Future Film — Ludwig Schulz & Tobias Njoga
• The People Shall — Gregory Kiwo Maole
• Owadwa — Joe Kiarie
• Ajeni — Shavin

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BEST COSTUME DESIGNER

• Nawi – Dear Future Me — Viva Njeri
• Owadwa — Shandra Apondi
• Sukari — Eunice Rimba
• Cards on the Table — Vivian Njeri Kimotho
• The Dog — Sophie Oprisan

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BEST MAKEUP ARTIST

• Sukari — Mwanarusi Mwasina
• Owadwa — Viona Ndiritu
• The Dog — James Gikonyo
• Makosa Ni Yangu — Stacey Gichinju
• 2 Asunder — John Michuki
• Nawi – Dear Future Me — Mercy Ng’endo

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BEST PRODUCTION DESIGNER

• Nawi – Dear Future Me — Erikson Kang’ethe
• Sukari — Mwafrika Hamisi
• The Dog — George Mungai
• The People Shall — Bakhitta Gikonyo
• Makosa Ni Yangu — Not Stated
• Memory of Princess Mumbi — Damien Hauser

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BEST DOCUMENTARY

• The People Shall — Mark Maina
• Letters to Dad — Fred Makori
• Unyangoni — Saitabao Kaiyare
• Beyond Boundaries — Kafiyo Osman

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BEST ANIMATION

• Lore — Mary Wanjiku
• The Big Sad Nairobi — Gift Kyansimire
• Kito and Chacha: The Leader — Ebby Productions

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BEST KENYAN INDIGENOUS FILM

• Sarah — Sarah Tenoi, Nick Reding, Amos Leuka
• Wamaitha — Kang’ethe Mungai
• Ngone Mwaitu — Jackline Emali & Alfred Munyua
• Matatu Master — Anton Konkin

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BEST SHORT FILM

• Sukari — June Wairegi
• Owadwa — Celine Onditi
• Kanairo — Clementina Kabutha
• Transaction — Wanjeri Gakuru
• Ajeni — Louise Kamwangi

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BEST STUDENT FILM

• Dinner for Three
• Dumpside Guardian
• Ifikie Governor
• Spin to Loose
• Own Goal

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BEST DOCUMENTARY BY A STUDENT

• Deafenately Heard
• The Inkidongi

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PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD – FEATURE FILM

• Nawi
• The Dog
• Sketchy Africans
• Safari
• S.He Gets Me
• Makosa Ni Yangu
• 2 Asunder
• Cards on the Table
• Boda Love
• Family Vacation

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BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM

• JIMBI
• Half Chocolate Half Vanilla
• Take My Hand
• Uhuru

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TELEVISION CATEGORIES

BEST TV DRAMA

• Kash Money — Grace Kahaki
• MTV Shuga Mashariki — Kevin Njue
• Big Girl Small World — Nicholas Mutuma
• Single Kiasi — Grace Kahaki
• Prefects — June Ndinya Aaqib

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BEST LEAD ACTOR IN A TV DRAMA

• John Sibi Okumu (Kash Money)
• Emmanuel Mugo (Big Girl Small World)
• Basil Mungai (MTV Shuga Mashariki)
• Jimmy Gathu (The Chocolate Empire)
• Melvin Alusa (Subterranea)
• Kevin Maina (Single Kiasi)
• Joe Kinyua (Njoro wa Uba)

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BEST LEAD ACTRESS IN A TV DRAMA

• June Njenga (Big Girl Small World)
• Mwende Kingori (Paa)
• Sanaipei Tande (Kash Money)
• Hellen Keli (Lazizi)
• Foi Wambui (Subterranea)
• Serah Wanjiru (MTV Shuga Mashariki)
• Minnie Kariuki (Single Kiasi)

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BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A TV DRAMA

• Lenana Kariba (Kash Money)
• Dennis Mugo (Big Girl Small World)
• Mathew Ngugi (MTV Shuga Mashariki)
• Jack Mutinda (Mizani)
• Biko Nyongesa (Subterranea)

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BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A TV DRAMA

• Amara Tari (Kash Money)
• Julie Brenda (MTV Shuga Mashariki)
• Nice Githinji (Subterranea)
• Jane Wambui (Njoro wa Uba)
• Diana Njuguna (Big Girl Small World)
• Ciku Kaboi (The Chocolate Empire)

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BEST TV DIRECTOR

• Kash Money — Grace Kahaki and Philippe Bresson
• Big Girl Small World — Nick Mutuma
• Subterranea — Likarion Wainaina
• MTV Shuga Mashariki — Likarion Wainaina, Mkaiwawi Mwakaba and June Ndinya
• Paa — Carol Odongo
• Single Kiasi — Grace Kahaki and Philippe Bresson
• The Chocolate Empire — Grace Kahaki and Philippe Bresson
• Lazizi — June Ndinya, Vincent Mbaya and Davis Nato
• Mo-Faya — Reuben Odanga

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BEST TV SCRIPTWRITER

• Big Girl Small World — Angela Ruhinda
• Kash Money — Grace Kahaki & Philippe Bresson
• Paa — Bruno Tanya
• Subterranea — Likarion Wainaina, Brian Munene, Arnold Mwanjila and Martin Kigondu
• Single Kiasi (Season 4) — Carol Kemunto, Jazzmine Maina, Grace Adhiambo and Jim Malakwen
• MTV Shuga Mashariki — Annette Shadeya

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PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD – TV DRAMA

• Kash Money
• MTV Shuga Mashariki
• Big Girl Small World
• Single Kiasi
• Prefects
• Subterranea
• The Chocolate Empire
• Paa
• Adam to Eve
• Mo-Faya

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