School of Communication, Cinematic and Creative Arts

By Bernard Owuor
As part of its engagement with the film industry’s key stakeholders and players, the Cinematic Arts department recently hosted the first ever Film Summit conference at USIU-Africa, attended by more than 200 students and faculty from other Film Training institutions.
The summit took place in partnership with (Film Lecturers and Trainers Association of Kenya (FleTA). It provided USIU-A film students with an opportunity to benchmark themselves as well as build relationships with other film creatives within the sector. It brought together over 20 film training institutions, faculty and industry players and over 20 carefully chosen student films were screened.
Dean of School of Communications, Cinematic and Creative Arts, Prof. Patrick Ebewo kicked off the summit by welcoming all the attendees, and urging them to use the forum to discuss some of the ways they could solve the challenges that faced the sector in the country. Some of the challenges facing the film industry that were highlighted during the forum included the shortage of opportunities, challenges in terms of film production, creativity, among others.
Guest panelists included Professor John Mugubi, School of Creative and Performing Arts, Film and Media Studies, Kenyatta University; Dr. Rachael Diang’a, Chair Department of Cinematic Arts at USIU-Africa; Cajetan Boy, Martin Githinji among others.
Professor Mugubi acknowledged the important part that the summit played in screening different student films and was impressed by the creativity that students displayed.
First year Cinematic students expressed their appreciation for the summit and credited it for exposing them to various lines of thought that will improve their craft.