[2][3] Lola Kenya Screen was established in October 2005 by arts and culture practitioner Ogova Ondego,[2] who has been its Managing Trustee and Creative Director since then.
This is the platform on which various stakeholders network, publicise and market values, products and services targeting children, youth and family during the festival.
Lola Kenya Screen showcases films in educational institutions in and around Nairobi and helps to make pupils and students aware of the importance of mass media in modern societies.
[16] Lola Kenya Screen collaborates with various partners to show films, conduct workshops and host seminars in communities in Nairobi and its environs.
[28] In 2011, Happy Times by Elaine Nesbitt and Manani Ogres by Samuel Musembi, Joseph Hongo, Marcus Kang’ethe and Norrick Mwangi were selected to take part in the sixth Busan International Kids' Film Festival in South Korea.
[33][12][13] Winners of the Golden Mboni prize for the best children's films have included Dutch Mischa Kamp's Tony 10 (2012),[34] Belgian Vincent Bruno's Le Maillot de Cristiano (Cristiano Ronaldo's Shirt, 2011),[35] Nigerian Mak Kusare's Champions of Our Time (2010),[36] Italian Marco Gianfreda's Io Parlo (I'll Tell on You, 2009),[37] Swedish Peter Naess's Hoppet (Leaps and Bounds, 2008),[38] Israeli Itai Lev's Giborim Kitanin (2007),[39] and Ukrainian Koval Stepan's Zlydni (2006).
[40] Winners of the 14-Plus Award for the best youth film, a prize introduced in 2009 out of recognition that the festival was growing and catered to both children and youth, are German Daniel Hedfeld and René Sydow's Das Geheimer Zimmer(Secret Room, 2012),[34][41] Madagascan Mamihasina Raminosoa and Andriamanisa Radoniaina's Dzaomalaza et le Saphir Bleu (Dzaomalaza and the Blue Sapphire, 2011),[42] Malawian Charles Shemu Joyah’s Seasons of a Life (2010),[43] and South African Minky Schlesinger's Ugugu no Andile (Gugu and Andile, 2009).
Among others, the Best Documentary Film Award has gone to Paradiso by Italian Alessandro Negrini, working in Northern Ireland (2011),[45] Big Sister Punam by Serbian Lucian and Natasa Muntean (2010),[51] A Beautiful Tragedy by Norway-based David Kinsella of the UK (2009), which also took the 14-Plus Award for the second best youth film,[37] and Journey of a Red Fridge by Lucian Muntean and Natasa Stankovic of Serbia (2008).
The Ombetja Yehinga Organisation headed by Philippe Talavera of Namibia wone a Special Youth Prize for their three films Sex and Chocolate, Teddy Bear Love and Make a Move.
Motivational guest speakers on film-making have included Kenyan Judy Kibinge, Wanuri Kahiu, Guy Wilson, Ali Mwangola and Belgian Aurelien Bodinaux (2010).
The festival has also been attended by film producer Aurelien Bodinaux of Belgium (2009, 2010), TV producer Elahe Kasmaei of Iran (2008), afro-fusion musician Joel Sebunjo of Uganda (2006–2009) and independent filmmakers Aster Bedane of Ethiopia (2009), Ashraf Simwogerere Mayanja of Uganda (2009), Caroline Kamya of Uganda (2007), Sheila Mulinya of Kenya (2006, 2008, 2009, 2011), Katrin Ender of Germany (2006), Susan Wamburi of Kenya (2006, 2011) and Runcie Chidebe of Nigeria (2009), Kenyan screen actresses Nice Githinji and Janet Kirina (2008), and Fr Pietro Caggiano of Italy (2009, 2011).
[8] To implement its programmes, Lola Kenya Screen has worked with the Goethe-Institut in Kenya, the Danish Film Institute, Prix Jeunesse of Germany, Africalia of Belgium, the Jan Vrijman Fund of the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) of The Netherlands, UNESCO, the Prince Claus Fund for Culture and Development of the Netherlands, and ComMattersKenya and ArtMatters.