Jua Kali represents what I consider to be the very definition of a properly executed film. The movie does a great job of showing rather than telling; it stands as the perfect example of excellent visual storytelling and impeccable pacing.
Don't get me wrong, this is a short film that operates within a strictly limited timeframe, but it spends every single frame and second effectively. From the editing and the deliberate pacing to the picture composition and cinematography, every element is optimised to build a rich world and immerse the viewer. The director pulls you into the experience rather than just handing you a plot on a platter.
What you get is a piece of cinema that doesn't feel like a story trying to tell you a story. Instead, it pulls you in and lets you live within the environment, drawing you to breathe in and out of the events naturally.
There is no outright exposition dumping. Nobody stops mid-scene to tell you exactly what is happening or what a specific character is all about. The film effortlessly lets everything play out, trusting the audience's intelligence to piece the various elements together and make sense of the world.
The core story is very basic, following a day in the life of a Nairobi house cleaner at work.
Yet, it speaks to something profoundly true about who we are as Kenyans. In telling the story of Diana and others who inhabit this space, the film holds up a mirror to the sheer resilience and dignity that exist in places far too often overlooked, but the magic here is that the message is not pushed down your throat.
Casting
The unconventional casting works beautifully across the board. It features very interesting performances from Michelle Tiren, Bryan Ngatia, Akinyi Oluoch, Vaishali Morjaria, Galvin Oeba, Doanna Owano, Zawadi Njoroge, Mbogua Mbugua, Lily Thamaini, and Kimani Maina. What makes the narrative distinctly different is that everything we see is highly relatable and instantly recognisable, but the specific way it is pieced together is what makes it truly work.
The story has social and political commentary, but the underlying message is baked seamlessly into the world. The difference here is that it is not right in your face; there is absolutely no preaching. You experience the social commentary naturally as you experience the environment, which makes the setting feel incredibly real, especially if you are Kenyan.
There is a lot to recognise and connect with, from the casual, authentic conversations of the characters to the highly familiar daily scenarios. At no point does it feel like the movie stops in its tracks to deliver a message or lecture you on what it is supposed to be about.
Beyond the narrative structure, the technical elements are remarkable. The sound design is incredibly intentional, particularly in the clever absence of it. When specific sounds finally pop up, they carry much more meaning because sound is deliberately used as an active storytelling tool.
Furthermore, the cinematography displays immense discipline in its composition. Mundane, everyday elements are given unexpected cinematic value. When the director decides to hold on a scene, the sheer amount of time taken gives the moment massive emotional weight.
Funding
Because this is a short film, it serves as a proof of concept. The team at Wheelbarrow Films is currently working to expand this short into a full-length feature film, calling it Mboch. But wait, what exactly is Wheelbarrow Films? Wheelbarrow Films is a Nairobi-based production company guided by the creative vision of writer-director Joash Omondi and producer Yasmin Hassan.
Right now, they are working tirelessly to secure full funding for the feature-length version. While they have already earned well-deserved support from the Kenyan filmmaking community, the Red Sea Fund, the KCB Foundation, and various international development programmes, securing independent film funding is always a tough journey.
Personally, I am genuinely impressed by the short, and I am glad we are getting a feature, but I do have a few thoughts on what happens next.
My fears
When they eventually get the full funding required to realise Mboch, I truly hope they do not go down the route of trying to satisfy corporate investors at the cost of what they already have.
When people or organisations fund a creative project, they often come with strict stipulations and the dreaded fine print. Some investors expect the narrative to lean a particular way or want you to focus on certain themes over others.
I hope the creative integrity of this story, the high production quality, and the raw honesty of what they achieved so brilliantly in the short will be maintained in the feature.
If you want to understand why I am so invested in this, you can actually go on YouTube right now and look up their previous short films, including John, Johnny, Johnte.
Searching for the Boy Child and One Voice, focusing on Johnny, Johnte, in particular, because like Jua Kali, its fiction and it’s uniqueness in how that project handles a completely different narrative technique, taking a conventional sexual health narrative and turning it into something unique and beautifully shot. That was the exact short film that first got my attention and had my eyes on Wheelbarrow Films.
Conclusion
In the end, Jua Kali (or Mboch) is a fantastic short film. It is a potent blend of good visual storytelling and fantastic technical execution. It is relatable and smart enough to respect the viewer's intelligence, visually rich, socially relevant, and emotionally engaging.
I enjoyed it so much that, as much as I am looking forward to the feature-length film, I get a slight sense of discomfort imagining the full feature walking away from the specific magic they were able to create here.
However, I am confident that the studio will give us an even better finished product. I cannot wait to see the full feature version, Mboch.
With the solid foundation laid here, the potential is absolutely huge. The studio has the vision and the skill; now it is simply about making sure they get the right support to carry it forward.
