Kenyan-Spanish co-production The Widow is currently in development by Nairobi-based production house Sixty6 and Barcelona-based Help the Next Production. The fiction feature follows a widow whose grief begins to unravel as something long suppressed demands release.
Natasha Ayoo is attached to direct The Widow, with her Sixty6 co-founder Shishi Wanj serving as writer.
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Ayoo and Luisa Nike, the CEO and founder of Help the Next, took the project to the Marché du Film at the recently concluded Cannes Film Festival, which Nike describes as “stepping outside the usual order of things.”
“Instead of waiting for institutional backing, Help the Next backed the project directly and brought it into the market space where deals, co-productions, and financing conversations actually happen,” says Nike. “We also provided direct Spanish and Catalan access and support structures, enabling the project’s participation within the local ecosystem around the festival.”
One of Kenya’s emerging filmmakers, Ayoo is known for directing the young adult drama series Tuki and short films including Mgeni and Don’t Talk to Strangers, which was selected for the 2025 edition of BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival. The Widow marks her feature directorial debut.
“For a first feature, having access to these kinds of meetings at the Marché du Film so early in development was incredibly valuable,” says Ayoo. “It reminded me that filmmaking is not only about making the film itself, but also about building the community, partnerships, and support system that will help bring it to life.”
With over a decade of industry experience, Nike is known for her work on projects such as El Cerro de los Dioses for Amazon Prime Video, O No Será and A Simple Room.
The duo partnered to co-develop The Widow in February 2026 because of what they describe as a shared commitment to female-led storytelling, independent ownership and stories that often sit outside mainstream development pipelines.
Both Sixty6 and Help the Next focus on female-led projects and underrepresented voices. The filmmakers are currently seeking a French minority co-producer aligned with their vision for the project.
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