KFCB Affirms Its Commitment to Support the Film Industry Growth
The Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) has reiterated its commitment to supporting the growth of the film industry through facilitative regulatory interventions and programs such as the Creatives in Arts and Film Literacy (CAFIL) Program, which it is rolling out in partnership with the Sports, Arts, and Social Development Fund (SASDF).
Speaking on Monday, December 9th, 2024, during an engagement forum with creatives and stakeholders drawn from Nairobi County, the KFCB Ag. Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Paskal Opiyo, revealed that the Board has proposed a review of various regulatory frameworks that, once ratified, will make obtaining licenses easier for filmmakers and promote the ease of doing business for industry stakeholders.
"As the Government agency mandated to regulate the creation, broadcasting, possession, distribution, possession, and exhibition of film and broadcast content in Kenya, the KFCB remains committed to ensuring a conducive regulatory environment to spur the growth of the film sector through collaboration with industry stakeholders, Mr. Opiyo said during the event held at the Edge Convention Centre.
In its resolve to empower local creatives, Mr. Opiyo indicated that the KFCB in collaboration with other regulatory Government agencies whose mandates impact the film industry has developed a Regulators Handbook for Film Practitioners in Kenya to consolidate simplified regulatory information.
The Regulators Handbook contains information on; the regulation of creation, distribution, exhibition, broadcasting, and possession of audio-visual content in Kenya; the use of drones in filmmaking; immigration requirements for foreign film practitioners; the framework concerning filming in game parks and sanctuaries; tax obligations of film practitioners and tax incentives; copyright laws for protecting intellectual property rights of filmmakers; as well as data protection requirements, the Ag CEO stressed.
By implementing the CAFIL Programme and providing the necessary interventions to nurture youth talent, Mr. Opiyo indicated that the KFCB hopes to contribute to a thriving Orange Economy that supports the monetization of talents for job opportunities and socio-economic development.
To ensure an enabling and conducive environment for the film sector to flourish, the Ag. CEO revealed that the KFCB has redefined the role of film agents in Kenya. As a result, local filmmakers can obtain licenses directly from the Board without going through a Film Agent as was the case before.
Speaking at the engagement forum, Dr. Catherine Gichuba, Director of Arts and Tourism at the Nairobi City County, emphasized the critical role of creative arts in growing the economy.
Creative Arts contributes largely to Kenya s economy and it is important that we create an enabling environment that will tap talents and support creative works, especially for the young people, she stated.
During the stakeholders engagement forum, representatives from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Immigration Department, Kenya Wild Life Service (KWS), Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), Office of the Data Protection (ODPC), and the Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO) made presentations on their respective mandate and how it impacts the film industry.
The KFCB is set to roll out Phase III of the CAFIL Programme in Machakos, Kirinyaga, and Kakamega counties before extending the same to other regions.
The Programme which seeks to empower creatives in Arts and Film to create content that upholds Kenya's cultural values while safeguarding children from exposure to inappropriate audio-visual content, has so far been implemented in Nairobi, Kisumu, Nakuru, Embu, and Mombasa regions respectively.
