Kalasha Award for Best Director
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| Kalasha Award for Best Director | |
|---|---|
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| Presented by | Lua error in Module:WikidataIB at line 665: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
| First awarded | June 2009 |
| Most recent winner | Omar Hamza, Sukari (2026) |
| Website | Lua error in Module:WikidataIB at line 665: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
The Kalasha Award for Best Director is an annual award presented by the Kenya Film Commission as part of the Kalasha International Film & TV Awards. It is one of the top honors in the Kenyan film industry, recognizing a director who has demonstrated exceptional creative leadership and artistic vision in a feature, short, or documentary film.[1]
The category was introduced during the inaugural ceremony in 2009. In some editions, such as the 5th edition in 2014, the directing honors were recognized under the name Best Art Direction.
The recent recipient is Omar Hamza for his film Sukari at the 14th edition held in 2026.
Criteria
The determination of the winner involves a rigorous assessment of the film's narrative cohesion, visual style and the director's ability to extract high-quality performances from the cast. The Kalasha Academy, composed of experienced filmmakers, researchers and critics, reviews the submitted works to identify directors whose work pushes the boundaries of Kenyan storytelling.
The award is decided using a composite scoring system: 70% of the tally is generated by the academy's professional evaluation, while the remaining 30% is contributed by the public through an open voting process.[2][3]
Winners
The award ceremony was not held in 2013, 2016, 2023 and 2025. Winners are listed by year of ceremony.
| Year | Recipient | Film | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Judy Kibinge | The Killer Necklace | [4] |
| 2010 | Wanuri Kahiu | Pumzi | [5] |
| 2011 | Bob Nyanja | The Rugged Priest | [6] |
| 2012 | Tosh Gitonga | Nairobi Half Life | [7] |
| 2014[a] | Something Necessary | Something Necessary | [8] |
| 2015 | Simon Mukali | Veve | [9] |
| 2017 | Mbithi Masya | Kati Kati | [10] |
| 2018 | Ravneet Sippy Chadha | Subira | [11] |
| 2019 | Peter Kawa | Lost in Time | [12] |
| 2020 | Victor Gatonye | 40 Sticks | [13] |
| 2021 | [14] | ||
| 2022 | Ahmed Farah | Ayaanle | [15] |
| 2024[b] | Daudi Anguka | Mvera | [16] |
| 2026 | Omar Hamza | Sukari |
- Notes:
- [a] Category was named Best Art Direction in the 2014 edition.
- [b] Nominated for Best Documentary Feature Direction in 2024.
Records
As of 2026, no director has won this award more than once, highlighting the diversity and fresh talent recognized by the Kenya Film Commission each year.
Most nominations
- Nick Mutuma – 2 nominations (2019, 2020)
- John-Allan Namu – 2 nominations (2019, 2024[b])
- Kabugi Mzee – 2 nominations (2019)
References
- ↑ "Kalasha International". KALASHA INTERNATIONAL FILM AND TV MARKET, FESTIVAL & AWARDS. 2023-11-23. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
- ↑ "13th edition of Kalasha International Film and TV Awards public voting". m.startimestv.com. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
- ↑ Lifestyle, Capital (2011-09-08). "Vote for your 3rd edition Kalasha Awards winners". Capital Lifestyle. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
- ↑ "New awards to recognise film and TV stars". Daily Nation. 2020-06-21. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
- ↑ LIFESTYLE, CAPITAL (2010-09-28). "Winners at the Kalasha Awards". Capital Lifestyle. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
- ↑ OJUNGA, MAUREEN (2011-09-27). "Those who bagged Kalashas". Capital Lifestyle. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
- ↑ Lifestyle, Capital (2012-12-10). "KALASHA: The best on Kenya's screen feted". Capital Lifestyle. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
- ↑ Omondi, Vincent (2014-07-28). "Here's The Full List of The Kalasha Awards 2014 Winners". Ghafla!. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
- ↑ Munyu, Liatema (2015-11-04). "The Big Winners At Kalasha Awards As Other Big Names Miss Out". Ghafla!. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
- ↑ "Kati Kati, Sue and Jonnie top 2017 Kalasha Awards". Daily Nation. 2020-07-05. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
- ↑ Wangare, Jackline (2018-11-27). "2018 Kalasha Film and TV Awards: Full list of winners and nominees - Tuko.co.ke". www.tuko.co.ke. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
- ↑ "2019 Kalasha Awards winners receive Ksh.1.7 million cash prize". Citizen Digital. 2019-12-11. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
- ↑ Muendo, Stevens. "It's the year of '40 Sticks' as Kalasha celebrates 10 years". The Standard. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
- ↑ "List of winners in the 2021 Kalasha Awards (Photos)". www.mpasho.co.ke. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
- ↑ Ajon, Brian (2022-12-05). "Njoro wa Uba, Wahu and Sanaipei Top List of Winners at Kalasha Awards". www.tuko.co.ke. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
- ↑ "Full list of winners at the Kalasha Awards". KBC Digital. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
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