The new movie “Nyumbani”, starring Kenyan-born actress Coco Kariuki, has been making waves on the film festival circuit. The feature film, which just finished production in Los Angeles, has been accepted into multiple internationally acclaimed festivals including African Film Festival, Sony Filmmakers Festivals, Cine Youth Film Festival, Los Angeles Independent Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival and Newport Beach Film Festival.
“Nyumbani”, which means “at home” in Swahili, is the story of two young African culinary chefs as they start out their careers and work on opening up a restaurant together. They have lived in the US for a while but miss Kenyan delicacies and want to showcase East African food to the American market. The film sees the ups and downs of young entrepreneurship and the toll it takes on their friendship as they find their feet after graduation.
“We are thrilled to have our movie accepted into so many prestigious film festivals,” explained Coco. “I play the lead protagonist, Wachera, which means “the one who travels” in Swahili. She is a young Kenyan graduate from culinary school, who is trying to figure out her professional career. During the film, we see her wrestling with self-doubt and pressure from her parents who expect a lot from her. She decides to open her own restaurant but encounters turbulence as tensions build between her and her business partner.”
Coco expanded, “My character really spoke to me as I am definitely similar to her. Wachera is fiercely independent but struggles with living so far away from home, as it can be very lonely at times and overwhelming. In the past, I have definitely experienced that struggle, but like Wachera, I love what I do and am fully committed to sacrificing whatever is needed for me to achieve my creative goals. Bringing “Nyumbani” to the big screen is simply magical. We are excited to share our Kenyan culture to the attending audience.”
The movie “Nyumbani” has wrapped production and will begin its film festival circuit at the African Film Festival, Sony Filmmakers Festival, Los Angeles Independent Film Festival, Sundance, Newport Beach, and New York African film festival early next year.
You can stay up to date with Coco and the new movie by visiting her Katricia Kariuki – IMDb and Instagram.
