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NAWI

Based on the winning story of a nationwide writing contest, "NAWI" unravels the life of a determined girl growing up in rural Kenya.

Nawi's aspirations of attending high school are shattered when she learns that her father plans to marry her off to a stranger. Despite her family's necessity for the bride wealth – symbolized by a substantial amount of livestock – Nawi refuses to accept her fate and resists against this arranged child marriage. Her steadfast ally in this struggle is her brother and closest friend, Joel.

However, Nawi's father remains entrenched in tribal traditions, swayed by the counsel of uncles, stepbrothers, and the elders of the clan. Even her three mothers, constrained by their roles as women, believe that being a wife is Nawi's destined path.

In a bold move, Nawi flees on her wedding night. Pursued by her own family, she embarks on a journey towards Nairobi, clinging to her dream of a promising future. But her sense of responsibility tugs her back when news arrives that her newly-born sister will have to take Nawi’s place in the impending marriage. Nawi returns home to confront her family and husband, an idea in mind to rewrite the fate of countless child brides.

  • Kevin Schmutzler
    Director
    Robin: Watch for Wishes (student film)
  • Toby Schmutzler
    Director
    Robin: Watch for Wishes (student film)
  • Apuu Mourine Munyes
    Director
    first-time director
  • Vallentine Chelluget
    Director
    first-time director
  • Milcah Cherotich
    Writer
  • Brizan Were
    Producer
    Learning Lions Kenya
  • Lydia Wrensch
    Producer
    Robin: Watch for Wishes (student film), Biking Borders (documentary)
  • Caroline Heim
    Producer
    Robin: Watch for Wishes (student film), Biking Borders (documentary)
  • Michelle Lemuya Ikeny
    Key Cast
    "Nawi"
  • Joel Liwan
    Key Cast
    "Joel"
  • Ochungo Benson
    Key Cast
    "Eree"
    Nafsi, Stinger
  • Michelle Chebet Tiren
    Key Cast
    "Rosemary"
    How to dream in Africa, Juakali
  • Ben Tekee
    Key Cast
    "Shadrack"
  • Marrianne Nungo Akinyi
    Key Cast
    "Mama Ekai"
    Supa Modo, Chaguo
  • Nyokabi Macharia
    Key Cast
    "Madam Christine"
    Chaguo, Country Queen
  • Patrick Oketch
    Key Cast
    "Emanikor"
    Mother-in-Law
  • Ludwig Bayern
    Executive Producers
    Learning Lions Kenya
  • Steven Haft
    Executive Producers
    Dead Poets Society
  • Katja Eichinger
    Executive Producers
    Asbest
  • Matthias Rosenberger
    Executive Producers
    Jim Button
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 43 minutes 43 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 30, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    800,000 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Kenya
  • Country of Filming:
    Kenya
  • Language:
    English, Swahili
  • Shooting Format:
    RED
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Beijing International Film Festival

    China
    China Premiere
    Special Jury Award
  • Fribourg International Film Festival
    Fribourg
    Switzerland
    Swiss Premiere
    Audience Award
  • Hof International Film Festival
    Hof
    Germany
    German Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Pan African Film Festival
    Los Angeles
    United States
    West Coast Premiere
    Best Feature Film
  • Chandler International Film Festival
    Chandler
    United States
    North American Premiere
    Official Selection
  • ASC Awards
    Los Angeles
    United States
    Nominee
  • Stockholm International Film Festival Junior
    Stockholm
    Sweden Premiere
    Bronze Horste – Best Film (11-19 years)
  • International Film Festival Gorinchem
    Gorinchem
    Netherlands
    Netherland Premiere
    Audience Award
  • International Filmweekend Wuerzburg
    Wuerzburg
    Germany
    Audience Award
  • Spirit Of Fire
    Siberia
    Russian Federation
    Bronze Tiaga
  • New York African Film Festival
    New York
    United States
    New York Premiere
    Official Selection
Distribution Information
  • Atlas International Film
    Sales Agent
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Kevin Schmutzler, Toby Schmutzler, Apuu Mourine Munyes, Vallentine Chelluget

TOBY & KEVIN SCHMUTZLER

co-direct films since childhood. The brothers believe in the transformative power of movies to foster social change. Sparked by a student film on India’s water crisis, the Munich- and Cape Town-based directors founded FilmCrew, an indie production house with a heart for sustainable filmmaking.

After a documentary on street children in DR Congo titled Where the Street Ends, Toby and Kevin released their multi-award- winning feature film debut Robin – Watch for Wishes which was soon picked up by Electric Entertainment. Robin, a bucket-list- movie about an ill child exploring South Africa, wasn’t just a movie – it was a movement. The social campaign Watch for Wishes hitched a ride with it, raising donations for kids in need.

After a historical short film venture About German Women, and their stage direction debut with Hunger and Greed on crimes of the garbage industry the brothers co-created the Netflix documentary Biking Borders, that has financed the construction of seven schools in remote regions in Africa and South America.

Toby and Kevin got to visit Turkana for the first time in 2017 and have since then travelled back and forth as they had been working on Nawi as their second feature.

APUU MOURINE

is a musician, designer, and first-time filmmaker born and raised in Turkana, Kenya. In 2016 she graduated from the Learning Lions program and has since then used her passion and talent for creative arts to teach the following eleven generations of young Kenyans going through the program.

Despite facing opposition and cultural taboos, Apuu began her music career at a young age. With her music, she continuously wants to drive the transformation of her tribe, the Turkana, as a storyteller and educator.

Her cultural work with community-based organizations like Value Villages, Turkfugee or Kakuma Sound provides her with the possibility to use her talents in various arts as a tool for empowerment, awareness, and development.

Nawi, as Apuu’s first feature film, was a perfect project for her creative skillset and a dream come true to prove her abilities as a director and musician. Plus: as a woman, a Turkana, and a mother, Apuu has been dealing with the issue of child marriage since she is born. Her greatest lesson from the project: “Teamwork makes the dream work!”

VALLENTINE CHELLUGET

is a self-made filmmaker residing in Kisumu, Kenya. Val got her exceptional skills through workshops, YouTube, and – despite her age of just 24 – years of field work. As a director, scriptwriter, and producer, Val has created several short films that got her jobs in the directing department of several award- winning Kenyan productions like Deranged or Okethoree and the Kenyan Film Prize nominated Wife for Hire.

Val also works as a trainer in the charity organization Naweza Films in Kisumu, which empowers youths through training in filmmaking and storytelling.

Growing up in the slums, she has always had a passion for telling the untold stories. To let audiences know and understand the challenges people face, as they inherit their cultures, traditions, and passions. And while her good communication skills have helped her to connect with people from diverse cultures and beliefs to find those stories, her talents in art and film have enabled her to be heard and listened to.
Nawi is Valentine’s first feature-length project as a director, a role in which she could put all her experience in Kenyan movie-making in.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Creating NAWI was a deeply personal journey for me. As a native of Turkana, a woman and a mother I grew up with the struggles, particularly regarding early child marriage and education for young girls and women. To me, Nawi’s journey is a vessel for the untold stories of my people, carrying the responsibility to inspire positive change and eliminate harmful practices.

Working with a seasoned and professional team who understood the significance of this story for Turkana and beyond was both humbling and empowering. I gained so much knowledge and skills in cinema, and at the same time, it was able to share so much of our culture and traditions.

I do a lot of music since I was a child and working together in our directing team and with the whole crew reminded me a bit of playing in a band. Different instruments, different players and in the end, everything comes together in that one emotional piece of art. This complexity of producing and directing a film in the real world is still amazing to me.

Being the first woman director in my community to complete a full-length film is… monumental. Words cannot capture the honor and hope I feel. This achievement is a testament to the power of dreams, intentionality, passion, and discipline, supported by an incredible team. Our collective determination to use our knowledge and experience to tell African stories and create opportunities for others is stronger than ever.

The future is bright, and our lives have been profoundly impacted through the NAWI film. Here’s to more purposeful work and to making a difference, one story at a time.

by Apuu Mourine

_______

According to UNICEF Kenya is home to over four million child brides today.

From the moment I read Milcah’s short story I realized that NAWI is more than beautiful and tragic story that is necessary to tell. It is a narrative that transcends borders and cultures to explore universal themes of hope, sacrifice, and the pursuit of dreams.

Seven years ago, Toby and I were approached by an educational non-profit, the “Learning Lions”, to direct a movie in Turkana. Since then we became familiar with the culture while looking for the most compelling stories from the region .

Last year, we launched a writing competition together with the Learning Lions. The winning story by the first-time writer Milcah Cherotich became the foundation of NAWI. Her story portrays a girl facing forced marriage.

From a Western perspective, child marriage exists and is problematic. And that’s as far as most peoples’ understanding goes. To get our story beyond that limited point of view, we always knew that we would need local expertise in the directing team – which is how we got to meet Apuu and Vallentine a year before the shoot. I don‘t know if a multi-director constellation like this had been done before, but for NAWI our four-headed hydra model opened endless doors of creativity and cultural explorations.

Their insights allowed NAWI to delve beyond a superficial understanding and explore the reasons behind old norms while it immerses our audience in the rich culture of the proud Turkana tribe.

As four directors who bring different backgrounds and perspectives to the story, we hope to have translated it into a movie that will resonate with audiences globally. We aim to create a cinematic experience that challenges preconceptions, fosters empathy, and – most importantly – inspires action.

We believe that by telling Milcah‘s story, we can contribute to the global dialogue on child marriage, the importance of education, and gender equality, no matter where and what you are born.

by Kevin Schmutzler