African Woman and Child Feature Service

An old, tired-looking woman enters a home where revellers are celebrating the marriage of their daughter in Simbi village, Homa Bay County.

Anyango Nyalul, is looking for a place to lay her head since it is getting late in the evening. She intends to proceed with her journey the following day.

However, the revellers, mostly villagers, refuse to accommodate her. Many abuse and ridicule her.

“Go away, you ugly woman! Who told you this is a place for useless people like you?” they said to her. As they heap abuses on her, little do they know that she is the daughter of famous rainmaker.

After she is told to leave, Anyango goes to a nearby home, where she finds a woman and her two children. Again she asks for food and accommodation, this woman obliges and welcomes Anyango into her home.

The woman’s husband was among those who sent Anyango away at the celebration.

The following morning, Anyango tells the woman, whose husband had not returned from the celebrations to pack her things and together with her children leave the place.

The rainmaker’s daughter explains that there will be heavy downpour that will destroy the whole village, particularly the home where celebrations were taking place because they refused to welcome her.

When they leave, it starts to drizzle and the drinks turn into water which later fills the village. The village then sinks killing the revellers and forming a lake, this is the water body known as Simbi Nyaima.

This is a mythical story among the Luo about how Lake Simbi Nyaima was formed.

It is from this story that scholars, actors, writers and film makers in Kenya have come up with a script to make a film about the mythical lake.

The film, Simbi Nyaima-Abuor will feature Joseph Olita, the man behind the award winning film, The Rise and Fall of Idi Amin and Oliver Litondo, the man behind the movie on Kenya’s oldest primary school pupil the late Mzee Maruge, First Grader.

Delivering his speech during the launch, Olita appealed to the Government and film lovers to ensure the industry is given enough funding and promoted in the country.

Olita said Kenya has rich sceneries, which has made it possible for many films shot in the country win international awards. He urged the stakeholders to come together and promote local film industry.

“We are appealing to the film stakeholders and the media to help in promoting film industry in the country. We have rich sceneries and actors, what remains is empowerment. Filming should also be taken to the villages not only brought to Nairobi,” said Olita.

The Lake Victoria Basin Film Maker Guild (Kenya), chairman Okech Obat Masira says lack of technological equipments and sponsorship has grounded the film industry in the country. He appealed to stakeholders to ensure the industry is put in the limelight.

“We have abundant artistic talents and we would be happy if the Government came in to support the sector,” he said.

Obat said promotion of the film industry in the country is invaluable. He urged stakeholders to find film sceneries in the villages to have the best shooting grounds.

“We are having have good places for shooting. What is left is to utilise the sceneries to have the best films and to improve the industry,” observed Obat.

Written by Otumba Ouko of Maseno University’s Department of Creative and Performing Arts, the film will be shot for three months in South Nyanza, Nyanza Province. The shooting will be done within many areas in the region that have beautiful sceneries.

“A lot needs to be done to promote the industry in the region,” said Otumba.

The shooting of the movie is seen as a move to promote the local film industry. This movie has attracted many actors who have promised to give it the best shot.

“I am going to make this one of my best works. I am still strong and feel young. I have to work and ensure this is achieved to promote the industry in the region,” reiterated Olita.

The cast presents a unity in diversity. Actors have been drawn from different parts of the country. Artists who have shown tremendous performance in the field of acting have been selected from Turkana, Kitale, Eldoret, Kisii and Nairobi.

Olita will play the role of Mzee Okech Sogomaitha (who is he in the village???)while Litondo whose film the First Grader was recently premiered will play the role of Rading Awang’mach (who is he in the village???).

In the script, Adeka (who os Adeka and what does she ????) plays the role of Anyango Nyalul/

“We appeal to well wishers and the corporate society to support film making outside Nairobi. Film making must take root in the grassroots,” observed Otumba.