By Ogova Ondego
Published November 17, 2017
Pamela Jelimo was the first Kenyan woman to win a Golden League Jackpot of US$1 Million for her sterling performance in women’s 800-metres race in 2008. But she vanished as fast as she had appeared, paving way to speculation on whether her performance was driven by banned performance-enhancement substances or she was inter-sex. She trended online in a thread titled ‘ Whatever happened to Kenyan 800m great Pamela Jelimo?’.
Now, nine years later, Kenya has just slapped Jemima Jelagat Sumgong, its world-beating marathon runner, with a four-year ban for her use of what is reported to be an illegal performance-enhancement substance.
Apart from attention-grabbing global headlines touching on the likes of Sumgong and Jelimo, what do you think leads sportspeople to use banned substances?
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You don’t have to trouble your mind because ON YOUR MARKS, a movie lined up for screening and discussion during the 102nd bi-monthly #Lola_Kenya_Screen_film_forum (LKSff) at Goethe-Institut in Nairobi on November 27, 2017 from 5:30 PM, explores this subject for you from a human interest angle.
Directed by Cajetan Boy of Et Cetera Production, the work delves into the life of an elite athlete who is trying to make a comeback on the track while the temptation to remain on doping-driven victories gets ever so so alluring.
LKSff, that brings together players in the motion pictures sector every month to watch and discuss movies and network with a view to forging friendships and business relationships, is on November 27 focusing on the work of a moviemaking collective known as Chap Chap Shooters. ON YOUR MARKS is one of the three productions of the collective that shall be in focus.
Members of the cast and crew of Chap Chap Shooters shall be in the house to talk about their work, field questions from the floor and interact with members of the audience during the non-formal networking session.
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The other productions–FAITH by Jackline Emali Asava that shows how a woman in love demonstrates that love for her faith and soon-to-be husband and AMAZING GRACE by Cajetan Boy that revolves around an urban woman whose plan to have a secret wedding is interrupted at the eleventh hour by the sudden appearance of a ‘ghost’–shall be screened and discussed alongside ON YOUR MARKS.
Being the last LKSff in 2017 since this Nairobi’s premier critical movie platform is now bi-monthly, the organisers say they have planned for it to be quite memorable.
While live music, poetry and spoken word shall be performed to enrich the film screening and the ensuing debate and non-formal interaction and the ExpertSpeak motivational talk.
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LKSff has since 2005 been screening and critiquing movies, encouraging filmmakers and exploring how to integrate motion pictures in eastern Africa with other socio-cultural and economic activities in order to come up with a sustainable movie industry. Though it has now switched from monthly to a bi-monthly schedule, LKS–that is presented by ComMattersKenya consultancy in collaboration with Goethe-Institut–remains one of the first places where new movies can be seen and young talent spotted.
LKSff remains the most consistent and longest running movie platform on the Nairobi’s arts and entertainment calendar.
