How Shooting Nairobi Half Life Was Dangerous for the Cast

Nairobi Half Life was shot on a budget that didn’t allow them luxuries like closing down streets and hiring a whole street full of paid extras. That meant that the film had to be shot on actual locations guerilla style. And the results were ranged from pity to violence from unassuming public.

Ghafla!: “There’s a scene you were fighting at Grogon, how do people around that area react when you’re doing such scenes?”

Olwenya Maina: “Kenyans are just eager, they’re ready to pounce on you. I remember while we were shooting that scene where I snatch Nini Wacera’s phone, there’s a guy who did not see the camera, who hadn’t seen the APs, the security guards, he came and punched me. I was rescued by guys while we were on set. It’s quite tricky especially when you can’t afford to pay a thousand extras, it becomes really hard.”

Joseph K. Wairimu: “And also in relation to that, there were so many different kind of scenes where so much would happen. As Olwenya is saying, there is one scene where he almost shot, and lynched too. And also when I was doing my other part, there is this mama who was screaming that blood is oozing from my face, she’s really concerned that I’m hurt. So, Kenyans are also caring.”

OM: “Mamas are caring.”

JKW: “Yeah. Or mama, I’ll say that.  But on the same note, they’re very fast in condemning and having mob injustice. So, they were interesting scenes to shoot.”