George Mo (Lost in Time) and Sarah Hassan were voted the Best Lead Actor and Actress respectively at the 9th edition of the prestigious Kalasha Awards on Saturday night at the Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi.
Andrew Odera’s Lost In Time won the Best Feature, while The Whistle Blower was voted the Best Short Film.
Africa Uncensored’s My Cancer Story – Uncensored Mtaani won in the Best Documentary award.
The big winners in TV were Pascal Tokodi and Nyce Wanjeri who were voted the Best Lead Actor and Actress in a TV Drama respectively.
Our Perfect Wedding won the Best TV Reality award while Best TV Drama award went to Selina. Both shows air on Maisha Magic.
The event brought together government leaders, corporation officials, company executives, film and media players among many other dignitaries.
The 170 nominees from 32 categories were selected among 959 entries that were submitted for the nomination between 20th August and 20th October 2019.
The jury academy comprised of eight members with industry expertise necessary for quality selections.
Kalasha Awards 2019 was co-hosted by the Kenya Film Commission and the digital Television Company, StarTimes who forged partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding to support Kalasha.
The Commission identified StarTimes ON, an online mobile application as a strategic platform where the shortlisted films were uploaded for viewing and public voting from 30th October to 30th November.
The StarTimes app, being the only voting means for Kalasha raised public concerns with many arguing that their audiences did not have access to smartphones, internet or could not be wanting to install the voting application.
Fans had to download the StarTimes ON App to vote. This is after Kenya Film Commission signed a partnership with StarTimes Kenya.
Despite the rain and controversy, it was a night of glitz and glamour at the awards event with the who is who in the film industry, dignitaries and top government officials gracing the red-carpet event.
All the winners received Sh50,000 each among many other goodies from the event sponsors.
Here is Kalasha Awards 2019 Full List of Winners
Best Lead Actor: George Mo – Lost in Time
Best Lead Actress: Sarah Hassan
Best Supporting Actor: Ibrahim Muchemi
Best Supporting Actress: Neomi Ng’ang’a
Best Sound Designer: Karanja Kiarie
Best Original Score: Cathy Matete – What’s On Your Mind
Best Editor: John Onyamo & Kenji Gathecha – The Whistle Blower
Best Lighting Technician: Walter Odhiambo – Plan B
Best Special Effects: Willis Wanyiri – Kitambo
Best Original Screenplay: Edijoe Mwaniki – Lost In Time
Best Feature: Lost In Time – Andrew Odera
Best Director of Photography: Abdi Shuria – The Whistle Blower
Best Documentary: My Cancer Story – Uncensored Mtaani – Elijah Kanyi, Africa Uncensored
Best Short Film: The Whistle Blower
Best Local Language Film: Jonarobi
Best Production Designer: Ensulo
Best Director: Peter Kawa – Lost In Time
TV
Best Lead Actor in a TV Drama: Pascal Tokodi
Best Lead Actress in a TV Drama: Nyce Wanjeri
Best Performance in a TV Comedy: Kazungu Fahamu
Best Host in TV Show: Amina Abdi Rabar – The Turn Up
Best TV Documentary: Disappearing Spots
Best TV Reality: Our Perfect Wedding
Best TV Comedy: Nyanya Rukia – Maisha Magic
Best TV Drama: Selina – Maisha Magic
Best TV Advertisement: The Selfie- Acnes Creamy Wash
Best E-Sport: Africa E-Sports Championship – Kenya Nationals
SPECIAL AWARDS
Best Diaspora Production: Pardon, Excuse My Manners – Saitabao Kaiyare
Best Student Short Film: Unbalanced – USIU
Best Film Feature by a Student: Jiji – Kenyatta University
Best Documentary by a Student: This Is Us
Kituo Halisi: KU TV Kenya
Lifetime Achievement Award: Francis Ouma
Best Animation Production: XYZ Show
Gaming: Mzito – George Odongo
