Lusala (2019)

Lusala follows Brian Ogola (Poacher, 18 Hours) in the titular role as a young man whose life is interrupted by the demons from his childhood.

To escape his violent childhood, Lusala runs away to the city where he’s adopted by an affluent family. Now working at a local mechanic shop, the time comes for him to be his own man, encouraged by his adoptive mother, who worries that Lusala could be a danger to her daughter.

Out in the world on his own, Lusala’s past comes back to haunt him, dredging up painful forgotten memories that could push him over the edge.

Starring alongside Ogola is Stycie Waweru (Supa Modo), Mkamzee Mwatela (Stay, Mali), Alan Oyugi (Lost in Time, The Wives), Alyce Wangari (Kina), with a brief appearance by Peter Kawa (Lost in Time), Charlie Karumi (Morning After), and Melvin Alusa (Monica, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind).

Lusala is the directorial debut of Mugambi Nthiga, who co-wrote Mbithi Masya’s Kati Kati and Likarion Wainaina’s Supa Modo, and has appeared in Nairobi Half Life, Kati Kati, and Stories of Our Lives – four critically-acclaimed Kenyan films awarded at Toronto, Berlin, and AFI respectively, among many other festivals.

At the 2019 Kalasha Awards, Lusala was nominated for four awards including Best Feature Film and Best Lead Actor for Ogola.

Just recently in November, Lusala won the Rimbaud Award at the 2020 Les Rimbaud du Cinéma, held in France at the oldest active cinema in the world.