The 4th Edition of the LampArt Short Film Festival culminated in a captivating award ceremony on 17th of April at Alliance Française Mombasa, bringing together filmmakers, students, and the wider community for an evening that celebrated storytelling at its finest.
The ceremony followed an intensive four-day, hands-on workshop led by distinguished facilitators from Poland, Michał Sosna and Dr. Andrzej Cichocki, whose expertise and mentorship shaped participants' creative journey and elevated their skill set.
The evening was marked by the screening of nominated local films, each offering unique perspectives and powerful narratives that kept the audience engaged throughout.
Among the standout highlights of the evening was the recognition of Dr Sylvia Mutua of the Technical University of Mombasa, whose two documentaries, Garbage Economy and Wave of Waste, were shortlisted. Both films, funded by WWF, reflect a strong commitment to environmental storytelling. Wave of Waste went on to receive a special mention, with Dr Mutua awarded a cash prize and a certificate of recognition, alongside a collection of classic Polish films.
A TUM student, Juliet Musila, also earned a special mention for her film Songs of the Corals, further affirming the university’s growing footprint in environmental storytelling and creative expression.
In a significant milestone for this year’s festival, the University of Silesia joined as a partner for the first time, awarding two fully sponsored study visit opportunities to TUM students tostudy film in Poland, marking a major step in expanding international opportunities for emerging creatives.
The overall winner and Best Documentary was Where Lions Once Were by Bonifus Mbogo and Emily Baker, an intriguing production that stood out for its depth and storytelling. The film highlighted a pressing societal issue on the preservation of culturally significant sites and forests. The winners were awarded a Canon camera, courtesy of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Nairobi, which was represented by the Trade and Development Counselor, Pawel Pijanowski In the fiction category, Tsozi by Suleiman Ngumbao took top honours, while Mombasa Raha, an animation by Fahari Mazerah, won Best Experimental Film.
Winners in all film categories were awarded trophies, while nominated films received certificates of participation, and the cash prizes courtesy of the Rector of the Academy of Arts in Szczecin, Poland, Dr. Mirosława Jarmołowicz. A select few of the best films will also be screened in Poland.
In her remarks, the Vice Chancellor, Prof Laila Abubakr, expressed great appreciation to the LampArt organisers and partners for the opportunity granted to the Technical University of Mombasa to host the festival. She also thanked University of Silesia as a new partner, noting the importance of such collaborations and expressing optimism for even stronger engagements in the future.
Dr Chilimo Wanyenda, Co-director of the festival and Head Librarian at TUM, expressed her joy at the festival’s growth, noting that what began as a research project has evolved into a thriving annual event. She highlighted the continued interest it attracts, with this year’s edition recording an overwhelming turnout.
LampArt was made possible through the collaboration of key partners, the Academy of Art in Szczecin, Polish Society for Aestheticsled by Prof. Aleksandra Łukaszewicz, who is also the co director of the festival, Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Nairobi, and University of Silesia, as well as valued partners, Alliance Française de Mombasa, and iDeasInc Studios.
From the masterclasses to the screenings and finally the awards, LampArt once again proved to be more than a festival. It is a growing platform for bold ideas, meaningful storytelling, and global creative exchange.
