AVRIL BAGS ROLE AS MISS B’HAVE IN SHUGA II

Ogopa DJ artiste Avril has bagged a role in the second MTV drama series, Shuga that starts filming this week in Nairobi.
Avril who will play the role of a character called Miss B’have will be joined by other Kenyan personalities like Nick Ndeda (Angelo), Nancy Wanjiku (Baby), Brenda Wairimu (Dala), Edward Nyanaro (Rayban) and Ikubese Emmanuel - a.k.a. 9con - (Femi).
Meanwhile, Lupita Nyong’o, who played the pivotal character of Ayira in Shuga, returns on the other side of the camera as co-director alongside South African veteran Teboho Mahlatsi.
Commented Lupita, “Shuga was such a groundbreaking series and I am so thrilled to be working on the project again! This time I’ll really have my hands full as I will be both in front of and behind the camera but I can’t wait to be involved in the sequel to this incredible story.”
Also returning for the second series of Shuga are Sharon Olago (Violet), David Omwange (Skola), Nick Mutuma (Leo), Antony Mwangi (Kennedy) and Valerie Kimani (Sindi).
Other actors chosen at the public casting a few weeks ago are Christopher Otieno and Wairugi Mutero. Wairugi will be playing the role of Njoki (a party girl who loves to live in the moment) while Christopher will be cast as Slim, a small-time gangster.
Shuga: Love, Sex, Money is sponsored by MTV Base, The Staying Alive Foundation, the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and The Partnership for an HIV-Free Generation (HFG).

SHUGA TO AUDITION FEMALE AND MALE ACTORS

Upcoming production of Shuga: Love, Sex, Money has sent out a call to Kenyan youth to audition for two supporting roles. Auditions will be held on Saturday 27 August 2011 between 08:00 and 18:00 at Homeboyz Studios at Ambar House, Baricho Road in Nairobi. To be eligible to audition, you must be a Kenyan resident between the ages of 18 and 24 with good spoken English skills. No previous acting experience is necessary.



“We are looking for real and raw talent,” says Georgia Arnold, Executive Director, MTV Staying Alive Foundation, “Shuga: Love, Sex, Money is going to follow the pace set by Shuga. It’s going to be a hard-hitting drama about sex and relationships. With principle photography for Shuga just a few weeks away, and the TV show premiering across Africa in February 2012 – this could be a huge career boost for aspiring Kenyan thespians.”



“Among the judges will be MTV Creative Director, Tim Horwood, actress Lupita Nyong’o, who played the pivotal role of Ayira in Shuga, Alison Nguibini (Shuga series producer), and Jacqueline Achieng from HFG. Homeboyz’s DJ Hassan and Corine will keep the crowds entertained,” continues Arnold.
Audition places will be allocated on a first-come, first served basis. The judges will chose six finalists, whose fate will be decided by public voting at www.mtvshuga.com between 29 August and 4 September. The winners will be notified on 5 September.



The first series of Shuga was filmed in Kenya in August-September 2009 and told a bitter-sweet tale of love, loss, sex, heartbreak and relationships, set in the clubs, bars, campuses and hangouts of contemporary Nairobi. With a raw and uncut view on the lives of sexually active young Kenyans, Shuga spot lit the risks associated with unprotected sex and the party-hard lifestyles of urban Kenyan youth, told through the interlinked tales of characters Ayira (Lupita Nyong’o), Ty (Pepe Haze), Felix (Tumisho Masha), Violet (Sharon Olago), Skola (David Omwange), Sindi (Valerie Kimani), Leo (Nicholas Mutuma), Kennedy (Antony Mwangi) and Virginia (Eva Kanyang'onda).
Shuga: Love, Sex, Money starts filming in Kenya in September 2011 and will be broadcast around the world starting 14 February 2012.

WHEN LUPITA PLANKED…PUBLICLY

MTV Shuga actress Lupita Nyongo was dared to plank, and plank she did – after being voted to do so on the MTV Shuga Facebook page. And as the rules state, the more public the plank the better. Lupita did just that.



Lupita has been acting for a long time from starring in phoenix productions to featuring in a short film by American producer Marc Grey. She is however, famed for her role as Ayira on the 3-part MTV series, Shuga.



Ayira is the most ambitious and beautiful girl who oozes sex appeal. She is very aware of her appeal and uses it to get ahead in life. She distrusts men and in her life, love is a second priority, a luxury.



In a past interview with Hot Secrets, Lupita likened herself to her on screen character Ayira. "We have a lot in common, we both have big dreams and we make questionable choices in our relationships. But the anger in her (Ayira), I don't have,” she continued, “It was challenging to bring out that side of her."

HERE IT COMES, SHUGA 2 WITH TWICE THE DRAMA !

After the International AIDS Conference in Vienna, Austria last week, the officials behind the gripping three-part drama, Shuga gave it a new lease of life.
On Tuesday, July 20, a panel of MTV, Pepfar and Unicef officials heard that in Kenya, where the three part series was filmed, an astounding 64% of young people 15-24 were aware of the campaign and 60% saw it and remembered it.
This lead to increased intentions to take an HIV test decreased intentions to be in a concurrent relationship and increased positive attitudes relating to HIV stigma. More importantly, over 90% of the young people in Kenya viewer group said the show had an effect on their thinking.
What could the big shots do but declare that a sequel to Shuga be shot. Also at the conference were two of the actors in the MTV dara series, Lupita Nyongo and Nicholas Mutuma, both of whom played lead roles as Ayira and Leo respectively.

Shuga is a no hold bared drama about the lives of a group of students in Nairobi featuring their of sex, ambition, hopes and fears; will see it given a new life line.
However with the return of Shuga 2, will see some actors dropped as their characters die and others take on a new lease of life.

LUPITA AND LEO IN AUSTRIA FOR AIDS CONFERENCE

Two Kenyan actors from the hit series Shuga have traveled to Vienna, Austria for the International AIDS Conference.
Lupita Nyong'o who played the lead Ayira and co actor Nicholas Munene who played Leo took part in the Tuesday July 13, night viewing of the MTV series at the Steigenberger Herrenhof Hotel, Herrengasse in Vienna.
The conference also saw a report on the social exclusion of children and young people affected by HIV and AIDS in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The report highlights underlying causes of the epidemic that are unique to the region, including the complex challenges that make youth vulnerable to HIV or early death due to drug use and other diseases.
Shuga is the brainchild of MTV Staying Alive, the global HIV and AIDS education and prevention campaign, PEPFAR's HIV-Free Generation's "GPANGE" campaign and UNICEF as part of the broader MTV Staying Alive Ignite campaign.

LUPITA STARTS CLASSES AT YALE

Filmmaker and model Lupita Nyongo’s has started her degree classes in Theatre Art at the prestigious American university Yale.
The MTV actress and filmmaker has begun classes Writing from campus, Lupita, the daughter of medical service minister Prof Peter Anyang Nyongo, wrote in an email that she was “settling into school.
“My schedule is already very hectic. They have us working hard from the very start. But I expected it - this is Yale after all and they strive for nothing but the best in everything, and I am up for that challenge. This is teaching me what they mean when they say acting is serious play.
“I know I am blessed and very privileged to be in this position where I get to focus and hone my craft for three years.”
Lupita’s greatest filmic achievement so far has been the making of a film about the suffering of albinos in society, In My Genes. The film was screened from September 12 to September 23 in Netherlands at the Africa In The Picture Film Festival (AITP).

For more on Lupita
:: Lupita Nyongo gets full scholarship to Yale
:: Lupita fights for Kenyan Albinos
:: Lupita: I'm not dating Alex
:: Lupita shares a diary from Rwanda film festival
:: All About Lupita Nyong'o's Docu-Film

VALERIE KIMANI AND LUPITA NYONGO IN MTV SERIES

The MTV Staying Alive Ignite drama series started shooting in various locations in Nairobi this week. One of the sets of the educational show was at the Zen Gardens on Wednesday 19.



One of the notable cast members is Lupita Nyong'o who is playing the lead role – Ayira, a beautiful and vivacious college student who is using her body to give her family a better life.



Ayira is friends with Sindi an exac opposite played by TPF1 winner Valerie Kimani.



The TV drama is directed by South African Teboho Mahlatsi famed for producing Yizo Yizo a hard hitting TV drama which pushed the envelope in very way possible and challenged societal attitudes towards taboo subjects as HIV/AIDS and homosexuality. He has also directed Jacob's Cross which currently airs on KTN.

LUPITA SCORES ONE FOR THE ALBINOS IN KENYA

Lupita Nyongo’s film In My Genes has not only caused a splash in film circles, it has also made it an impact in parliament. For the first time in the history of Kenya, a petition on Albinism rights was presented to the House, on Thursday August 6. This petition was tabled by Eugene Wamalwa MP and was brought to the House through the Albinism Society of Kenya and Lupita.
It asked the government to:
a) Include a special count of people with albinism in the up-coming census later this month
b) Amend the existing Disablilities Act or introduce a new special act to explicitly cater for the legislative needs of people with albinism.
c) Waive the duty on sunscreen for people with albinism
The petition was extremely well received and got the vigorous verbal support of more than five members of parliament including Hon. Joe Nyagah. The requests of the petition have been put in the hands of the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional affairs. The Committee for Equal Opportunities have also committed to following up on the action to be taken. Lupita’s film was recommended for all members of parliament to watch as a way to better understand the urgency of the matters at hand!

LUPITA: ALEX IS JUST A FRIEND

The question on everyone's lips, are filmmakers Lupita Nyongo and Alex Konstantaras dating?
Their answer to the salacious claims put forth by 'fans of their work' is negative.
Lupita eplianed thier relationship. “Alex and I are not dating actually. We met in Rwanda and really hit it off. We have a lot in common and we enjoy each other’s company. Our relationship is purely platonic,” she said.


The couple in Rwanda during the RIFF (Rwanda International Film Festival)

As for been spotted severally together? “Hmmm... we like each other’s company. We challenge each other artistically and intellectually. We have a common interest like theatre, movies, we like similar music and so it’s easy to do stuff together.”
As for Alex, he finds the whole ‘Lupita-Alex saga, very amusing.’
Anyho, Lupita is currently co-producing and acting in a short film with Big Ideas entertainment. “It’s a quirky love story and that’s all I’m allowed to say about it at the moment.” Alex is a producer and actor with Jitu films. He starred in the comedy film
R2 brothers, a lampoon about two mafia boys who take a forced holiday in Kenya.

LUPITA’S SHARED DIARY FROM RWANDAN FILM FESTIVAL

Jaques Rutabingwa (RFF's Tech Director), Lupita Nyong'o (IN MY GENES) & Joseph Kinuthia Kamau (JITU FILMS)


: Musarait Kashmiri (Director of MAISHA FILM LAB, Uganda), Meddy Saleh (Cinematographer), Lupita Nyong'o (IN MY GENES), Ayuub Kasasa (Hillywood Coordinator) and Daddy Ruhorahoza (Rwandan Filmmaker)


View of Kigali from Cine Star, one of the festival's screening venues


Lupita and Alex take motos to town, popular local transportation


Alex Konstantaras (JITU FILMS) and Joseph Kinuthia Kamau (JITU FILMS)

Filmmakers Lupita Nyongo and Alex Konstantaras have written an account of their experiences at the Hillywood Rwanda Film Festival, which ran from June 18 to 20, in a lengthy email.
OPENING CEREMONY

The opening ceremony took place at the Serena Hotel on the eve of the 18th of June. This red carpet event attracted an exclusive list of invited guests, including local celebrities, filmmakers, and other local and international stakeholders and of course, the media. Although there wasn’t a strict dress code, the traditional Rwandese outfits that most of the guests opted for, stole the show and gave the event a unique character. The Guest of Honour, Hon. Joseph Habineza, the Minister of Sports and Culture officially launched the festival with a short, heartfelt and inspiring speech of how the government should actively support local filmmaking because it has the power to transform and develop a nation’s culture – something Kenyan leaders should learn from!

The opening night featured four short films by Rwanda Film Institute students. An animated audience received these enthusiastically. Surprisingly, all the short films were directed by females! The shorts were followed by the main opening film, Karim Chrobog’s, WAR CHILD, about the life of Emmanuel Jal, a former Sudanese child soldier who grew up to fight for peace in his nation through his sensational hip hop career. The film that runs 97 minutes seemed too long for an opening ceremony and yet it managed to captivate the audience of about 400 people, and by the vigorous round of applause at the end of it, I would say it was a success. The star of the film, Emmanuel Jal was supposed to be present and perform that night but due to some undisclosed complications, he was visibly missing in action. Nevertheless the crowd enjoyed local Rwandese live performances under the moonlight and the influence of wine.

DAY 1

Friday 19th June. With 16 films to see and 5 venues to choose from, we set out for Cine Star, a quaint movie theatre in the heart of Nyamirambo, to watch a few short films before witnessing the Rwandese audience’s reaction to MOB DOC, the first Jitu Film to be screened at the festival. First up were two short Spanish films, SINTONIA and EL TREN DE LA BRUJA, both of which struck us for their simple concepts made exceptional by the way the stories were crafted. SINTONIA, for one was a typical love story about two strangers that meet under odd circumstances and cannot resist their mutual attraction, but what made it special is the way the two met: listening to the same radio show while waiting in traffic. EL TREN DE LA BRUJA is a horror short about torture, set in one room with one actor. We both commented that these films proved that it was more about the strength of the story than the amount of money used to execute it.

As the sun set over the hills, we headed out to Shokola Café, where the evening’s films would be screened in the open air. MOB DOC was the highlight of the night, screening last after a few short unimpressive films. MOB DOC seemed to take the audience by surprise with its dark and sometimes controversial humour, but what really surprised the audience was the appearance in the flesh of the MOB BOSS himself, Joseph Kinuthia Kamau. Eric Kabera, the festival’s founder and CEO and an all-time fan of Kinuthia’s work, conducted a brief discussion with him about the movie and the Kenyan film industry after the screening. MOB DOC set the pace for the rest of Jitu Films’ screenings at the festival with a bunch of East Africans asking for copies of the films.

WEEKEND HEAT – SCARY SATO

Weekends are the best festival times anywhere in the world. The locals are at rest from a week’s work and the tourists too pour in to the city in search of culture, adventure and a good party. The festival packed in 46 screenings to cover the weekend demands, with Jitu’s OTTO, THE BLOOD BATH, the horror banned in Kenya, being the Saturday night main attraction. Everyone was so curious to see this infamous film said to be “too horrific” even for an adult audience. After the screening, Eric Kabera, remarked that he was glad that the film was screened in the open air rather than in the confines of a dark cinema because it made it easier to bear. Before OTTO a short Kenyan/Ugandan film by Paul Ekuru, DANCE FOR WIVES was screened. This film about a dead-end love affair features an impressive cast, with David Mulwa, Mumbi Kaigwa, Melvin Alusa and Karen Lucas (a.k.a. Kaz) playing the lead roles. Despite the A-list actors, the DANCE FOR WIVES employs full English dialogue in a film set partially in a slum, which makes the story weaker.

After a jam-packed day of screenings, we set off to explore the Saturday nightlife of Kigali. Our first stop was Republika, a popular bar with a spacious balcony where we sat to throw down a few with other festival enthusiasts and the owner of the bar, a fellow Kenyan. Next stop was KBC – Kigali Business Centre, a building complex with two contrasting club scenes. We stood between the blaring sound of techno from one club and hip-hop from the other. Naturally and without an argument we chose club number two. We wasted no time and hit the dance floor with the locals. Alex bust some Greek moves, putting lakeside Lupita to shame.

SAUNA SUNDAY

Sunday was a day of relaxation to the point that even the Internet service at our motel took a break. Frustrated we sought for some form of relief. We dragged ourselves to the afternoon screenings in Cine Star, which included Jitu Films’ R2 SECURITY. The local audience appeared to enjoy the film despite the fact that they were not as familiar with the story of the real Artur Brothers that inspired the film. Shamelessly we decided to skip the evening’s screenings to try out Kigali’s little known sauna culture. We hopped onto two of the hundreds of motos (motorbike taxi or pikipiki) to join fellow filmmaker Patrick Mureithi at a sauna near our motel. How surprising to find the sauna packed with men and women of varying ages in a unisex sauna room! Until then, we had thought that such a thing only existed in far off liberal countries like Sweden and Finland. For less than 500 Ksh, we had the full sauna experience, including a full body scrub by a diligent and highly skilled man.

After 2 hours of paradise and full relaxation, we could barely walk back to our motel ten minutes away. Some of us didn’t see our rooms until the next morning… That’s the RFF effect!

LUPITA NYONG’O COVERS DRUM

Well, according to the Facebook communiqué’ Lupita Nyong’o graces the Drum cover this month. Read all about this young award-winning film maker whose documentary ‘In my Genes’ was recently released locally. Get inspired by how she launched her career in a cut throat industry.

Capture the exciting birthday bash of EAM publisher Carole Mandi at the spa with close friends - sunning, bathing and full-on treatments. DRUM captures her day in our society pages. A must read!

As always, the DRUM society pages are packed with the hottest parties, events and corporate dos, find out who is who and who is seen where.

When it comes to young talent there is only way to put it - Ramah Nyang’. His philosophical ideas will astound you, his intellect will drive you and his presence will awaken your heartbeat. Ramah talks to DRUM about his job and his place in the public eye

Lupita Nyongo’s take on her docu-film

Lupita says, “I embarked on this documentary as a way to educate myself and others like me on the condition of albinism and to shed light on the stigma, discrimination and persecution that they face because of their difference. It is alarming that this special condition that exists in every race and civilization of human beings – and indeed in most animal species – should be so hyper-visible and yet so socially invisible (In my research I could not find any traditional stories with people with albinism as characters, for example).
My goal in making this film was therefore to tell the story behind the silence. I chose to focus on the personal and intimate experiences of people with albinism who had overcome the great social odds, in order to add to the plethora of positive cultural stories that they have been excluded from for so long. The 8 people I chose represent people with albinism from different socio-cultural and economic backgrounds, who, though they all have very distinct experiences and opinions, are all united in their embracing of themselves. I wanted to capture the spirit of individuals who have persevered in the face of great hostility and harm. Agnes is the natural main character of the documentary, the epitome of endurance and enthusiasm despite all the drawbacks and persecution in her life. I knew the moment I met her that her story would carry more than the message of albinism awareness: Agnes’ story stands for the embracing of one’s self and therefore human diversity.”

The film is on sale for Sh1,500 and is available at Books First Westgate.

All About Lupita Nyong'o's Docu-Film

CK and Delphine, Twin Sisters


In My Genes Movie Poster


Agnes Muthakye and the family she always longed for


James and Pamela look at their first child



IN MY GENES is the eye-opening story of vision, violence and the value of human difference set in Kenya’s vibrant capital city, Nairobi and her environs. Shot in 2006, before the news of the rampant murders of albinos in Tanzania, the film is both heartrending and invigorating in tone.

Albinism, the inherited genetic condition that causes little or no pigmentation in the eyes, skin or hair, has been wrought with misunderstanding among many African communities, and Kenya is no exception. Being a person with albinism comes with constant stares, stigma, stereotypes, and discrimination. Some common misconceptions are that children with albinism are products of affairs with white men, that the condition is contagious, affects the brain development of the individual and, most traditionally, that they are a curse or a bad omen. While IN MY GENES addresses these misconceptions, this is not another “Oh-Poor-Africa” documentary. The stories are an affirmation of what individuals under great persecution can make of themselves and what they can then inspire and challenge in us. It is a film of such effortless intimacy, subtle glimpses and honest examination.

We experience what it is like to be “white” in a “black” society through the uplifting story of Agnes Muthakye, a woman, who at first glance may not seem like someone with much to laugh about. For one thing, she has albinism-- a lack of pigment in the skin and eyes-- and her appearance has provoked prejudice from family, friends and strangers since she was born. Agnes is also blind and as a woman of few means, she heads a household of 7 children, her 17-year-old daughter expecting another, by weaving traditional kyondoo baskets and knitting sweaters for sale. But despite all odds, Agnes refuses to lead a life of sorrow. She invites us into her life as she constructs a kyondoo over the course of a week. During this time, Agnes discovers the real reason why she is the way she is, and why she lost her eyesight. Yet Agnes keeps going, trusting in the work of her hands and the strength of her God. The threads of the woolen basket she weaves become a poignant metaphor of the need to reconstruct our human ties and the importance of solidarity.

Interviews with seven other individuals inter-cut Agnes’ narrative to share their unique experiences of living with albinism. CK, an energetic, eloquent and witty person with albinism grew up alongside a dark-skinned twin sister (a reported very rare occurrence for only one twin to be a person with albinism). She shares the surprising perks of being a person with albinism, including receiving preferential treatment from her parents, and yet, also the destruction of her dreams from traumatizing childhood experiences. James is expecting a baby with his dark-skinned wife, Pamela, any day soon. He tells us of what courting a dark-skinned girl was like and they share their hopes and fears should they have a child with albinism. Mwaura, a politician, Alex and Grace, educators, Benedict, a leather artisan, and Wycliffe, a medical student, all help bring alive a compelling and complex experience that charmingly tackles questions about the effects of their condition on aspects of their childhood, adolescence, sexuality, race, and dreams.

In Kenya, statistics of the occurring frequency of albinism are not available, as little national attention has been paid specifically to this condition. However in some parts of Africa, where studies have been done, albinism is estimated to affect as many as one in every 1,000 people. This is indication that people with albinism do make up a considerable number of our population. The film is filled with facts about the condition and acts as a powerful introduction to understanding the condition.

This film is inspiring, informative, and disturbing. The images are unforgettable, and the stories resonate reminding us of what it means to be human, what it means to love. IN MY GENES celebrates the resilience and vibrancy of people who sorely stand out from the crowd and manage to teach the world a thing or two about transforming perceived weakness into strength in the process.