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Did Ezekiel Mutua, CS Wario joyride to film festival at the expense of actors? – PHOTOS


The Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) boss Ezekiel Mutua is facing criticism for joyriding to France for the prestigious 70th Cannes Film Festival.

The claims have been made by two main actors of a Kenyan film that was picked to be screened at the festival.

The two, Joyce Maina and Brian Ogola, who starred in the short film Neophobia, also blamed the Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Culture and the Arts, Dr Hassan Wario of joyriding to the event.

PHOTO | COURTESY
PHOTO | COURTESY

“I didn’t go for the festival because apparently KFCB didn’t have the budget to take anyone else but the director. But they had enough budget to take the KFCB CEO and the minister of arts and culture,” Joyce said during an interview with Nairobi News.

NEOPHOBIA

“I find it frustrating that they are getting a free trip to Cannes off the work of other people. It should be the cast and crew of Neophobia at Cannes,” she added.

PHOTO | COURTESY
PHOTO | COURTESY

Ogola, who plays Dr Adam Akunga in the film, expressed similar sentiments and frustrations.

“Unfortunately there is nothing I can do. They had initially told us that we will go to France, but a few days before we were to leave they said only Mark Maina (director of the film) will go. Then I saw Ezekiel Mutua posting pictures on social media saying, he was in France,” Ogola lamented.

PHOTO | COURTESY
PHOTO | COURTESY

The 17 minute film was selected as the only African movie and was screened from the 24th to 26th May 2017. The film was selected by the festival’s Short film corner panel and Creative Minds Group.

PHOTO | COURTESY
PHOTO | COURTESY