Shuga Global premiered its new Shuga Mashariki Shorts anthology on Saturday, 25 July 2026, at Siaya County Club in Siaya County, launching a national rollout of three original Kenyan short films, according to a media statement issued on 31 July 2026.

The premiere opened with The Test, the first film in the series, directed by Trevor Sudi. Shuga Global said the Siaya event brought together its team, the cast and crew, partners, stakeholders and community members for a first public screening.

The organisation said the premiere also included a panel discussion featuring Zilper Imbuye, County PMTCT Coordinator, and Maida Nyawade, Director, Youth Affairs, Gender & Social Services at the County Government of Siaya, among others. According to the statement, the conversation addressed harmful gender norms, encouraged young men to share experiences and emotions, and examined how these attitudes can contribute to gender-based violence.

Shuga Global described The Test as a story of a young couple navigating relationship trust and communication when the male partner agrees to take an STI test with his girlfriend, including pre-test counselling that surfaces “fear, shame and lies.” The film, the organisation said, is intended to prompt reflection on shared responsibility and healthier relationship conversations.

In the same statement, Shuga Global positioned the anthology as part of its organisational transition from its former identity, MTV Staying Alive Foundation, while maintaining its focus on youth health and rights communication through storytelling.

“Shuga Mashariki Shorts embodies the future of Shuga Global, demonstrating our commitment not only to telling powerful stories but also to investing in the storytellers who will shape Africa’s creative future,” said Mitchelle Kimathi, Kenya Country Manager at Shuga Global. “Through authentic Kenyan stories, emerging filmmakers and community conversations, we envision that these stories will inspire young people to reflect, connect and make informed choices while reminding them that every meaningful conversation has the power to change a life.”

Shuga Global said the anthology will continue with Unwrapped, premiering in Nakuru on 12 August to align with International Youth Day, before concluding with Butterflies in Nairobi on 25 August. Beyond the public premieres, the organisation said it will conduct campus and student-housing screenings, each accompanied by moderated discussions intended to deepen engagement with themes such as gender norms, masculinity and emotional wellbeing, and pathways to support services.

The series also marks a milestone for Shuga Global’s Talent Accelerator Programme (TAP), which the organisation described as a hands-on initiative to identify, mentor and equip emerging filmmakers in Kenya. Shuga Global said the three films are directed by TAP graduates Trevor Sudi, Lynn Gitau and Juliet “Koi” Muiruri, who previously supported earlier Shuga productions before moving into lead directing roles.

In a collective statement quoted in the release, the directors said: “As alumni of the Shuga Global’s TAP Programme, we are honoured and proud to bring Shuga Mashariki Shorts to life as a collective project and as individual original stories… we are challenging harmful gender norms and encouraging open conversations.” They added: “This anthology is a testament to how mentorship and hands-on experience can empower young creatives to tell authentic stories that inspire social change across our communities.”

Shuga Global said the films were produced in collaboration with AR Films under the leadership of Daudi Anguka, and developed under mentorship from Voline Ogutu, Eric Mdagaya and Brian Munene. The release also linked the projects to research insights from Surround Sound Kenya, which it described as a collaborative initiative between Shuga Global, Shujaaz Inc and PATH focused on understanding social norms affecting young people’s wellbeing and opportunities.

For Kenya’s creative economy, the rollout underscores a growing model in which film and digital content are paired with structured talent development and community engagement. The scheduled screenings in Siaya, Nakuru and Nairobi also point to deliberate regional activation beyond the capital, a strategy that can widen access and audiences for locally produced screen content.

Shuga Global said the next milestones for the anthology are the Nakuru premiere on 12 August and the Nairobi premiere on 25 August, alongside campus screenings that will run in parallel with the public events.

Kenyan filmmaker Likarion Wainaina will premiere his new psychological thriller, Anam’s Wake, at Prestige Cinema on 31 July 2026, with additional screenings scheduled from 1–2 August 2026, according to a press release dated 24 June 2026.

The film is written and directed by Wainaina and produced by Wanjiru Njoroge, with cinematography by Enos Olik, the statement said. The cast includes Marima Wanjiru (as Anam), Sam Omondi, Peter Kawa (as Mason Ebale), Vanessa Okeyo (as Amani Ebale), Ruth Apondi (as Aunt Kavata), Pras Jadi (as Kwame Ebale), Gathoni Mutua (as Zuri Ebale) and Brenda Ngeso (as Nyawira).

The release positions the film within a growing pipeline of locally made features seeking theatrical audiences in Kenya, where premium cinema venues in Nairobi have increasingly served as launch pads for domestic films alongside international titles. The planned multi-day screening window also reflects a distribution approach that relies on concentrated opening weekends to build word-of-mouth and media attention.

Anam’s Wake is set against the backdrop of African mourning rituals and traditions. The story follows Anam, described in the press release as a professional mourner trained to summon Death and negotiate the passage of souls. While she guides others through loss, she remains emotionally numb after her mother’s death 16 years earlier. The film’s plot centres on Anam’s first solo ritual at the Ebale family home, where a wake “spirals into a chilling ordeal” as family secrets surface and Anam confronts unresolved grief, according to the release.

Wainaina said the project drew from personal experiences of grief. “Anam’s Wake was born from my own journey through grief. After attending numerous burials in early 2024, I became fascinated by the way sorrow often stays hidden, only to return with overwhelming force later,” he said in the statement. He added: “This film explores that terrifying truth, that unprocessed grief waits in the shadows, ready to consume us.”

Producer Wanjiru Njoroge said she was drawn to the cultural grounding and thematic focus of the script. “Anam’s Wake is the kind of film I entered this industry to make—deeply rooted in African culture yet universal in its themes,” she said. Njoroge added that the story explores “grief, family secrets, identity and a young woman navigating the tension between tradition and her own path,” and pointed to its reliance on subtext: “What drew me to the project was its trust in silence and the emotional weight carried in what remains unsaid.”

For Kenya’s creative economy, new theatrical releases can have knock-on effects for jobs across production, post-production, marketing and exhibition, while also strengthening the case for local content investment and wider distribution partnerships. The press release also notes the film drew on “extensive cultural consultation and local knowledge,” positioning authenticity and cultural representation as a core production consideration.

Wainaina is best known for directing Supa Modo, which premiered at the 2018 Berlin International Film Festival and was selected as Kenya’s submission to the 91st Academy Awards, according to the release. The statement also describes him as co-founder of Kibanda Pictures and credits him with directing multiple Kenyan television productions.

Next milestones will likely include further details on screening times, ticketing and any wider rollout beyond the initial Prestige Cinema dates, as well as additional marketing materials such as trailers and press-kit assets referenced in the release.