Kalasha Awards 2026: KFC Reveals Nominees, Introduces Cash Prizes and Digital Creator Categories

The Kenya Film Commission (KFC) officially unveiled the nominees for the 14th edition of the Kalasha International Film and TV Awards at a ceremony held at Anga Cinema Panari.

The Kalasha Awards, KFC’s flagship event, celebrate excellence in film and television production, recognizing outstanding talent across the Kenyan and African creative industry.

Speaking during the unveiling, Mr.Timothy Owase, CEO of the Kenya Film Commission, emphasized the importance of the awards in nurturing local talent and elevating Kenya’s global creative footprint.

“The Awards in their 14th edition builds on the legacy of previous ceremonies that have helped raise the bar for quality productions, creativity and professionalism. Our theme, “Innovating Tradition, Re-inventing Storytelling One Frame at a Time,” is beautifully reflected in these entries” said KFC CEO.

The CEO added that this year, all nominees will receive a cash prize of Kshs. 200,000 per category. Additionally, KFC will officially recognize digital content creators, introducing two new categories specifically for them. With the evolution of the industry, the recognition of the growing constituent of digital content creators is imperative.

The KFC Board Chair, Mr. Sudi Wandabusi, noted that KFC is collaborating with the government to support the industry through the establishment of a National Film Studio.

“In line with the presidential directive on the integration of creative industry facilities within the affordable housing program, the governmnet through KFC, will establish film studios in various projects across the country. This will be a major step for the industry and will provide significant support to creatives,” said Mr. Wandabusi.

A total of 185 submissions were received by the Commission across 40 categories. 18 of these categories will be subjected to public voting, which opens on 25th March 2026.

The nomination process of the films submitted was carried out by a jury of experts, both Kenyan and International and  drawn from the film industry

Chairperson of the Academy, Mr. Ledama Sempele, said, “The submissions demonstrate that Kenyan filmmakers continue to invest effort in producing quality work. This is highly encouraging for the growth of the industry. The Feature Film, Short Film, Indigenous, and International categories showed notable strength, reflecting dedication, passion, and a growing confidence in storytelling.”

Kenya Film Commission will host the Kalasha International Film & TV Market, Festival and Award on 28th April – 2nd May 2026 at Kenyatta International Convetion Centre.

The Kalasha International Film & TV Market, Festival & Awards is East and Central Africa’s premier screen content platform bringing together industry stakeholders, innovators and globally. The event provides a platform for industry dialogue, policy exchange, collaboration, and showcasing of innovation within the global screen sector.

Owase added that this year’s nominees will receive a cash prize of Kshs. 200,000 per category. Additionally, KFC will introduce two new categories for digital content creators as the industry continues to evolve towards digital platforms.

In the film category, Kenya’s Oscar 2025 entry Nawi leads overall nominations with 15 nods including Best Feature, Best Lead Actress (for Michelle Lemuya) and Best Director for Toby and Kevin Schmutzler, Vallentine Chelluget and Apuu Mourine. Nawi is followed closely by the short film Owadwa, with 14 nominations including Best Director (for Shandra Apondi), Best Original Screenplay, Best Lead Actor (Brian Furaha) and Best Lead Actress (Beatrice Kamuyu).

Other nominees in film include the short film Sukari, with 13 nominations, including Best Director for Omar Hamza; Kenyan-Swedish thriller The Dog with10 nominations. Damien Hauser’s Memory of Princess Mumbi, which opened at the 2025 Venice Film Festival, received only six nominations.

In TV, Big Girl Small Word (Showmax), directed by Nick Mutuma, Kash Money (Netflix) and MTV Shuga Mashariki—which returned to Kenya after 15 years—lead with 8 nominations each, including Best TV Drama, Best Lead Actor and Best Lead Actress. Showmax sci-fi Subterranea, directed by Likarion Wainaina is a close second with 7 nominations each.

As far as production houses go, Insignia Productions has emerged as a dominant force in the TV field, with Kash Money, Single Kiasi (six nominations) and The Chocolate Empire (the nominations) collectively accounting for a significant share of the nominations.

Prefects, which was nominated at the International Emmy Awards in 2025—becoming only the second Kenyan title to achieve the feat—received just two nominations.

Winners will be announced at a gala ceremony on 2 May 2026, as part of the Kalasha International Film & TV Market, Festival and Awards taking place from 28 April to 2 May 2026 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).

The multi-day event brings together filmmakers, distributors, industry stakeholders and innovators, offering a platform for dialogue, policy exchange and collaboration.

Sinema Focus will publish a full analysis of this year’s nominations and the Kalasha Awards system, examining what they reveal about thestate of the awards and the industry.

In the meantime, below is the full list of nominees for the 2026 Kalasha Awards.

BEST FEATURE FILM

Nawi — Brizan Were

The Dog — Appie Matere

Sketchy Africans — Vincent Mbaya & Sally Nyoike

Safari — Reuben Odanga

S.He Gets Me — Millicent Ogutu

BEST SHORT FILM

Sukari — June Wairegi

Owadwa — Celine Onditi

Kanairo — Clementina Kabutha

Transaction — Wanjeri Gakuru

Ajeni — Louise Kamwangi

BEST LEAD ACTOR IN A FILM

Juma Mdoe (Sukari)

Brian Furaha (Owadwa)

Joe Kinyua (S.He Gets Me)

Jeff Omondi (Kanairo)

Alexander Karim (The Dog)

Bruce Makau (2 Asunder)

Elsaphan Njora (Transaction)

BEST LEAD ACTRESS IN A FILM

Mumtaz Dhulfiqar (Sukari)

Michelle Lemuya (Nawi)

Gachiki Gachiki (Transaction)

Nyokabi Macharia (Sketchy Africans)

Shandra Apondi (Memory of Princess Mumbi)

Angela Mwandanda (S.He Gets Me)

Beatrice Kamuyu (Owadwa)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A FILM

Jave Samson (Sukari)

Derrick Agwingi (Owadwa)

Morris Mwangi (Sketchy Africans)

Kevin “K1” Maina (2 Asunder)

Blessing Lung’aho (Ajeni)

Fish Chege (Transaction)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A FILM

Ivy Collette (Owadwa)

Sanaipei Tande (2 Asunder)

Brenda Michelle (Makosa Ni Yangu)

Kui Kabana (Bella Is Dying Maybe Next Week)

Caroline Midimo (The Dog)

Michelle Tiren (Nawi)

BEST KENYAN INDIGENOUS FILM

Sarah — Sarah Tenoi, Nick Reding, Amos Leuka

Wamaitha — Kang’ethe Mungai

Ngone Mwaitu — Jackline Emali & Alfred Munyua

Matatu Master — Anton Konkin

BEST DOCUMENTARY

The People Shall — Mark Maina

Letters to Dad — Fred Makori

Unyangoni — Saitabao Kaiyare

Beyond Boundaries — Kafiyo Osman

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Sukari — June Wairegi & Omar Hamza

Transaction — Wanjeri Gakuru

Owadwa — Shandra Apondi

Kanairo — Clementina Kabutha & Cecimercy Wanza

S.He Gets Me — Brian Munene

Ngone Mwaitu — Jackline Emali

Memory of Princess Mumbi — Damien Hauser

Sketchy Africans — Veronika Kotengo

Nawi — Milcah Cherotich

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER

Nawi – Dear Future Me — Klaus Kneist

Owadwa — Damien Hauser

The Dog — Andrew Mungai; Baker Karim

The People Shall — Bryan Adagala

Sukari — Mohamed Zanudin

Sarah — Joan Poggio

Makosa Ni Yangu — Mohammed “Moha” Zain

Transaction — Geoffrey Mwangi

Kanairo — Jackson Kang’ethe

BEST SOUND DESIGNER

Sukari — Omar Hamza

The People Shall — Seam P.

Kanairo — Daniel “Clue” Ateng

Sarah — Teddy Priest Ochieng

Nawi — Roman Pogorzelski

Owadwa — Michael “Cap” Chepkwony

BEST FILM SCORE

Sukari — Frank Matovu

Memory of Princess Mumbi — Damien Hauser

Nawi – Dear Future Me — Amadeus Indetzki & Apuu Mourine

Owadwa — Billy Black

Kanairo — Mbinu Mbili

Wamaitha — Muringi Matheri

BEST EDITOR

Sukari — Omar Hamza

The People Shall — Mark Maina

Nawi – Dear Future Me — Toby Schmutzler

Owadwa — Jibril Drake

Memories of Prince Mumbi — Damien Hauser

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Memory of Princess Mumbi — Damien Hauser

The Last Message — David Wachira

2 Asunder — Grace Murema

Nawi – Dear Future Me — Not Stated

Bus 338 — Chol Jurkuch

BEST GAFFER

The Dog — Walter Odhiambo

Nawi – Dear Future Film — Ludwig Schulz & Tobias Njoga

The People Shall — Gregory Kiwo Maole

Owadwa — Joe Kiarie

Ajeni — Shavin

BEST COSTUME DESIGNER

Nawi – Dear Future Me — Viva Njeri

Owadwa — Shandra Apondi

Sukari — Eunice Rimba

Cards on the Table — Vivian Njeri Kimotho

The Dog — Sophie Oprisan

BEST MAKEUP ARTIST

Sukari — Mwanarusi Mwasina

Owadwa — Viona Ndiritu

The Dog — James Gikonyo

Makosa Ni Yangu — Stacey Gichinju

2 Asunder — John Michuki

Nawi – Dear Future Me — Mercy Ng’endo

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGNER

Nawi – Dear Future Me — Erikson Kang’ethe

Sukari — Mwafrika Hamisi

The Dog — George Mungai

The People Shall — Bakhitta Gikonyo

Makosa Ni Yangu — Not Stated

Memory of Princess Mumbi — Damien Hauser

BEST DIRECTOR

Omar Hamza (Sukari)

Mark Maina (The People Shall)

Shandra Apondi (Owadwa)

Toby and Kevin Schmutzler, Vallentine Chelluget and Apuu Mourine (Nawi)

Wanjeri Gakuru (Transaction)

Cecimercy Wanza (Kanairo)

Baker Karim (The Dog)

Damien Hauser (Memory of Princess Mumbi)

BEST ANIMATION

Lore — Mary Wanjiku

The Big Sad Nairobi — Gift Kyansimire

Kito and Chacha: The Leader — Ebby Productions

TELEVISION CATEGORIES

BEST TV DRAMA

Kash Money — Grace Kahaki

MTV Shuga Mashariki — Kevin Njue

Big Girl Small World — Nicholas Mutuma

Single Kiasi — Grace Kahaki

Prefects — June Ndinya Aaqib

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A TV DRAMA

Amara Tari (Kash Money)

Julie Brenda (MTV Shuga Mashariki)

Nice Githinji (Subterranea)

Jane Wambui (Njoro wa Uba)

Diana Njuguna (Big Girl Small World)

BEST LEAD ACTOR IN A TV DRAMA

John Sibi Okumu (Kash Money)

Emmanuel Mugo (Big Girl Small World)

Basil Mungai (MTV Shuga Mashariki)

Jimmy Gathu (The Chocolate Empire)

Melvin Alusa (Subterranea)

Kelvin Maina (Single Kiasi)

Joe Kinyua (Njoro wa Uba)

BEST LEAD ACTRESS IN A TV DRAMA

June Njenga (Big Girl Small World)

Mwende Kingori (Paa)

Sanaipei Tande (Kash Money)

Hellen Keli (Lazizi)

Foi Wambui (Subterranea)

Serah Wanjiru (MTV Shuga Mashariki)

Minnie Kariuki (Single Kiasi)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A TV DRAMA

Lenana Kariba (Kash Money)

Dennis Mugo (Big Girl Small World)

Mathew Ngugi (MTV Shuga Mashariki)

Jack Mutinda (Mizani)

Biko Nyongesa (Subterranea)

BEST TV SCRIPTWRITER

Big Girl Small World — Angela Ruhinda

Kash Money — Grace Kahaki & Philippe Bresson

Paa — Bruno Tanya

Subterranea — Likarion Wainaina, Brian Munene, Arnold Mwanjila and Martin Kigondu

Single Kiasi (Season 4) — Carol Kemunto, Jazzmine Maina, Grace Adhiambo and Jim Malakwen

MTV Shuga Mashariki — Annette Shadeya

BEST TV DIRECTOR

Kash Money — Grace Kahaki and Philippe Bresson

Big Girl Small World — Nick Mutuma

Subterranea — Likarion Wainaina

MTV Shuga Mashariki — Likarion Wainaina, Mkaiwawi Mwakaba and June Ndinya

Paa — Carol Odongo

Single Kiasi — Grace Kahaki and Philippe Bresson

The Chocolate Empire — Grace Kahaki and Philippe Bresson

Lazizi — June Ndinya, Vincent Mbaya and Davis Nato

Mo-Faya — Reuben Odanga

BEST STUDENT FILM

Dinner for Three

Dumpside Guardian

Ifikie Governor

Spin to Loose

Own Goal

BEST DOCUMENTARY BY A STUDENT

Deafenately Heard

The Inkidongi

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD – FEATURE FILM

Nawi

The Dog

Sketchy Africans

Safari

S.He Gets Me

Makosa Ni Yangu

2 Asunder

Cards on the Table

Boda Love

Family Vacation

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM

JIMBI

Half Chocolate Half Vanilla

Take My Hand

Uhuru

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD – TV DRAMA

Kash Money

MTV Shuga Mashariki

Big Girl Small World

Single Kiasi

Prefects

Subterranea

Chocolate Empire

Paa

Adam to Eve

Mo-Faya