Kalasha Award for Best Documentary Feature
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| Kalasha Award for Best Documentary Feature | |
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| First awarded | June 2009 |
| Most recent winner | Mark Maina and Nick Wambugu, The People Shall (2026) |
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The Kalasha Award for Best Documentary Feature (formerly Best Documentary or Best Documentary Film) is an annual award presented by the Kenya Film Commission as part of the Kalasha International Film & TV Awards. It celebrates non-fiction filmmaking that exhibits rigorous research, cultural relevance and technical excellence in capturing real-life narratives.[1]
The category has been a mainstay since the inaugural ceremony in 2009. To qualify for the feature designation in recent years, the documentary must have a minimum running time of 40 minutes, distinguishing it from shorter documentary subjects.
The most recent recipients are The People Shall by Mark Maina and Nick Wambugu, which won at the 14th edition held in 2026.
Criteria
Nominees in the documentary category are vetted by the Kalasha Academy, a committee of film scholars, documentary filmmakers and investigative journalists. The academy evaluates submissions based on the depth of the subject matter, the ethical handling of the narrative and the creative use of factual footage.
The decision rests on a dual-voting mechanism: 70% of the weight is assigned to the academy's professional critique, while the remaining 30% is decided by the general public. This allows the award to honor works that are both technically proficient and widely influential within the Kenyan social discourse.[2]
Winners
The award ceremony was not held in 2013, 2016, 2023 and 2025. Winners are listed chronologically.
| Year | Film | Ref. |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Mo & Me | [3] |
| 2010 | A History of Film | [4] |
| 2011 | Destination Mara | [5] |
| 2012 | Tumanka Goes To School | [6] |
| 2014 | Silent Killer | [7] |
| 2015 | The Last Fight | [8] |
| 2017 | Sound Man | [9] |
| 2018 | Thank You For The Rain | [10] |
| 2019 | Uncensored Mtaani: My Cancer Story | [11] |
| 2020 | Chances | [12] |
| 2021 | Kesho Pia Ni Siku | [13] |
| 2022 | Stori Yangu | [14] |
| 2024 | Last Door | [15] |
| 2026 | The people shall |
Records
As of 2026, no individual documentary has won this award more than once. Investigative journalist John-Allan Namu and his production house, Africa Uncensored, have consistently featured in nominations in this category.
Most nominations
- John-Allan Namu – 2 nominations (2019, 2024)
- Simiyu Barasa – 2 nominations (2010, 2020)
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.
- ↑ "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.
- ↑ "'NTV' scoops Kalasha Award, as winners set to pocket Sh200,000 each". Daily Nation. 2022-12-06. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
- ↑ "Full list of winners at the Kalasha Awards". KBC Digital. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
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