The Kenya Film Commission (KFC) in partnership with GIZ is deepening its longstanding commitment to championing women’s leadership in film through the launch of the Women-in-Film Incubation Programme.
This Kenyan-German flagship initiative aims to unlock opportunities for women across creative, technical, and entrepreneurial roles in an industry that employs an estimated 130,000 people, yet only 30–40pc of them are women, with far fewer in positions of leadership.
The film value chain is one of the most lucrative creative industries globally, and in Kenya, it holds immense untapped potential for women.
The inaugural cohort of 10 women was selected through a nationwide application process, representing counties across Kenya and the diversity of the local film community. The two-week residency focuses on helping participants build strong creative businesses. It uses Creative and Cultural Industries (CCI) frameworks to show how film can operate not only as an artistic craft but also as a commercially viable sector with real market opportunities.
As part of the programme, five top participants whose enterprises demonstrated the strongest potential, as determined through a pitching session before a panel of industry judges, will each receive EUR 5,000 (Ksh.752,050).
This funding is designed to help them strengthen their film enterprises, whether by boosting production capacity, developing new content, improving business systems, or preparing their projects for the market. The programme is part of the KFC Film Empowerment Programme and funded by the German Federal Ministry Economic Cooperation and Development.
Five winners awarded €5,000
At the graduation event, the following five women were announced as the 2025 Women in Film Award recipients, each receiving €5,000 for enterprise growth: Grace Murema of Grycelle Studio who is a skilled SFX makeup artist with deep roots in film and theatre, renowned for advancing character creation in screen storytelling.
Similarly, Faith Njeri Heho, a beautypreneur uplifting women by offering professional makeup training and pathways to income generation at The Makeup Tower was feted alongside Louiza Wanjiku Ndung’u of NBOFF. She is the Curator and founder of the Nairobi Film Festival, delivering high-quality cultural cinema experiences to diverse audiences.
Wanjira Maina of IConnectKenya Initiative was also awarded as a leader of a women-led organization empowering refugees, youth, and women in Turkana through training, storytelling, and digital innovation for self-reliance as well as Tracy Annette Sandere of Rebella Afrique Media. Tracy is a creative storyteller bringing African Blues narratives to life through film and digital media.
The five awardees will also receive training on grant administration and management to ensure effective utilization and long-term sustainability of their enterprises.
Speaking at the award and graduation ceremony, Timothy Owase, CEO of the Kenya Film Commission, highlighted the Commission’s commitment to equitable sector development. “This programme addresses the persistent gender gaps in our industry. By combining practical training, mentorship, and enterprise support, we are creating opportunities for women to build competitive and sustainable film businesses.”
Kenya’s economic data reinforces this potential. The film industry contributes an estimated KSh 20 billion annually (about USD 130 million) to the GDP and supports over 10,000 direct and indirect jobs. According to the latest FISA report, the combined film and broadcasting sector accounted for 0.4pc of GDP between 2016 and 2022, signaling room for greater industry expansion and competitiveness.
During the two-week residency, participants were introduced to core enterprise competencies, including strategy, finance, legal and compliance, HR and people management, and digital marketing. Mental wellness, which is a key component of the Women in Entrepreneurship Hub, was intentionally integrated to equip participants with resilience and clarity, recognising the emotional pressures women often navigate while building creative businesses.
The cohort now transitions into a three-month mentorship and shadowing period, working closely with experts in law, HR, finance, digital skills, and strategy, while advancing modules such as business modelling, access to finance, pitch development, and investor readiness.
Bi-weekly coaching sessions will support each entrepreneur in refining her business model, deepening market understanding, and strengthening enterprise systems in preparation for scale.
The Women-in-Film Entrepreneurs Incubation Programme reinforces the Kenya Film Commission’s commitment to building a vibrant, inclusive, and economically competitive film ecosystem. By expanding opportunities for women creators and entrepreneurs, KFC is strengthening the pipeline of Kenyan stories, talent, and enterprises that will shape the country’s cultural and economic future.
KFC CEO Owase affirmed this commitment, saying, “Kenya’s film sector holds immense untapped potential — not only as a driver of jobs and investment, but as a powerful engine for national identity and global influence. By investing in women entrepreneurs, we are widening the creative and economic space for Kenyan stories to thrive. This programme is a step toward a more inclusive industry, and a stronger future for our creative economy.”
