

INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ON HUMAN RIGHTS
9TH - 17 TH NOVEMBER 2023
FULL EVENT PROGRAM HERE
3RD EDITION UNDER OUR SKIN KENYA 2023
OPEN CALL
UOS 2023
OFFICIAL FILM SELECTIONS
Under our Skin believes in the power of cross-community dialogues since human rights issues cut across individuals, and communities therefore there is a need to invest in creating spaces for people to interact and have dialogues on these issues.
During the festival, content will be screened in informal settlements, cinemas, and host venues across Nairobi. Entries will be eligible for festival competitions, promotion across social media, mentions during the closing ceremony, and festival awards.

EVENTS
Registration for our events is now open, follow the link for each session to register. For a full event program you can find it here.
10.11.23:
Session 1: Mothers of the world (17 minutes), Act of Love (27 minutes)
Session 2 (Tent City (2minutes), Mother (2 hours)
11.11.23:
Session 1 Cadim (6 mins), Beyond the street (3 mins), Midnight Van (45 mins)
Session 2 You promised (8 minutes) De ja nu (14 mins) Neighbour Abdi (28 mins)
14.11.23:
Session 1 Little birds (40 mins), Nasavi (15 mins), Mercy (39 mins)
Session 2 Homofonia (10 mins), Show night (12 mins) Burial (15 mins)
ABOUT
Under Our Skin Film Festival is a platform that aims to entertain, inform and inspire through the medium of film. We motivate audiences and participants to question, debate, and reflect on the state of human rights in Kenya and internationally.
By actively embracing a cross-cultural exchange, the festival invites audiences and stories from diverse backgrounds. It encourages individuals to think beyond their immediate surroundings and consider the interconnectedness of human rights issues worldwide, thus instilling a sense of understanding, empathy and global citizenship.
We engender action and positive change for society and individuals. We welcome documentaries, fiction, conceptual films, and animations of all lengths.

Focuses on Human Rights issues related to self expression of sexuality, class or gender, of note in Kenya: LGBTQ+ rights, Ghetto Kumoka (Ghetto Pride), economies of care and adolescents and teenagers.

Explores notions of corruption at the state level and police brutality. In slum areas in particular there is great tension between the community members and those in power.

Understands how injustices perpetuate within the infrastructural framework of the country. Examples range from processes of decolonization and climate refugees and other impacts of climate change.
PAST EDITIONS
2021 NAIROBI & KILIFI
The festival took place from July 16th to July 25th in various locations in Nairobi,
including Mathare Social Justice Centre, Baraza Media Lab, and Unseen Nairobi. A
subsequent edition followed from November 22nd to November 27th, 2021, in Kilifi,
covering venues such as Distant Relatives, Pwani University, YMCA Kilifi, and The
Terrace Bar & Bistro.
The festival directly engaged over 1000 people through 26 screenings and dialogue
sessions in Nairobi and 10 sessions in Kilifi. Additionally, there was significant online
engagement with a total of 32.2k impressions on Instagram, 247 website visits, and
2.2k profile visits on Instagram.
2022 NAIROBI & LAMU
The Nairobi edition of the festival ran for seven days, from November 11th to
November 19th, 2022. It took place at multiple locations, including Unseen Nairobi,
Baraza Media Lab, Kenyatta University School of Law (Parklands Campus), and
Mathare Social Justice Centre. Additionally, a satellite event was held in Lamu
from November 24th to 26th, in collaboration with Lamu Youth Alliance. The
screenings occurred at Lamu's Utamaduni Centre and Diamond Beach Village.
In total, 22 films were showcased, and 14 panel discussions were conducted
throughout the festival. Eleven of these panel discussions were held in Nairobi,
while three took place in Lamu. The event attracted 1200 participants, with 740
attending in Nairobi and 460 in Lamu. Through social media, the festival reached
over 80,000 unique audiences, some of whom attended the screenings in person.