What inspired the story behind your short film?
Counterpunch is part of Makmende: A Legend Untold, a ten-part animated anthology rooted in Kenyan pop culture. Inspired by the urban legend of Makmende—an audacious, mythic figure born from Sheng street slang in 1980s Nairobi—the film reimagines heroism through a distinctly African lens.

Makmende has always represented fearless resistance. With Counterpunch, I wanted to challenge the idea of what a hero looks like: Can a broken boxer, haunted by her past, still fight for something greater? It’s about reclaiming agency, identity, and the will to rise—again and again.

What message or emotion do you hope audiences take away?
Resilience. Not the kind that shouts, but the quiet kind that survives through pain, loss, and fatigue. I want audiences to reflect on the silent battles so many people fight every day. Heroism doesn’t need capes or grandeur—it’s often deeply human.

Through Adala’s story, I hope viewers feel the weight of perseverance, the dignity of struggle, and the redemptive power of rising from brokenness.

Do you have a creative ritual before a “shoot day”?
Animation doesn’t follow the typical shoot-day rhythm. It’s a gradual, layered process—built frame by frame. My creative ritual is about stillness: revisiting storyboards, character sketches, and emotional beats. I reconnect with the cultural roots of the narrative through music, visual cues, and reflection.

It’s not a sprint—it’s a meditative, immersive flow.

Which film do you wish you had directed—and why?
Star Wars: Visions – Season 2. It was bold, stylistically diverse, and deeply rooted in global cultures. It reinterpreted a global franchise through local storytelling lenses, which is something I strive for in my own work—infusing African mythology and aesthetics into universal themes.

If you had to make a short film using only three props, what would they be?
A photograph – to evoke truth, memory, and identity.
A mask – to explore the personas we adopt for survival.
A pen – a symbol of agency, imagination, and rewriting your story.

Guilty pleasure show you always rewatch?
Arcane, Narcos, and Black Mirror—each for their world-building, narrative risk, and psychological depth.

Why are short films important in today’s media landscape?
Short films are creative playgrounds. They give emerging voices space to experiment, explore bold ideas, and represent perspectives often excluded from mainstream narratives. They’re nimble enough to respond to our shifting world—and powerful enough to change it.

Advice for a first-time short filmmaker?
Stay rooted in your “why.” Not everyone will get it—and that’s okay. Your first short is a lesson in clarity, risk, and growth. Embrace the failures, refine your voice, and never be afraid to let go of what’s not working.

And ask for feedback. Show your work. Growth lives in the doing.

What’s the one question you wish interviewers asked—and your answer?
What questions are your films trying to ask?
Because storytelling isn’t about providing answers—it’s about provoking reflection. I want my films to make audiences feel, think, and see themselves in new ways. When that happens, the story has already done its job.

Why are festivals like FAME Shorts Film Festival so important?
Festivals like FAME Shorts are vital. They celebrate bold storytelling, uplift diverse voices, and create platforms for local creators to be seen at home—not just abroad. They shift the centre of gravity—making space for African stories to lead, innovate, and inspire.