Wanjiru was born in Kenya in 1958. She was a writer, poet, and radio journalist before becoming a filmmaker. After receiving a Masters in English and German Literature, she got a Postgraduate at the Germany Academy for Film & Television Berlin (DFFB). Since then, she has written and directed numerous fiction and documentary films touching on all aspects of social life and education for European, American and Kenyan television. She has been based in Nairobi since 1995. “African Cinema depends on the maker and his/her location.” “Where are the films which embrace the whole character of Africans? Where are the films which can make us laugh, which appeal to our emotions and which show us who we are? African Cinema should also produce films which not only portray life as it is, but have characters whose world is accessible to us today.” Bahati was shot with 'Riverwood' amateurs and students with a budget of 180,000Ksh. The director engaged and exchanged with Nairobi’s River Road video makers who wanted to experience the professional side of film making. “The reality of the strong African woman still needs more emphasis, especially in today's world—where she's fighting a battle of liberation from both traditional and ‘Victorian’ laws which keep her down. And cinema, because it allows us to travel in a projected world of the possible, not necessarily the present reality, is a great opportunity!” Selected Filmography 2007 Bahati Fiction 40 mins, Video.; Manga in America (fiction) 57 mins, Video. Amakul a Kampala International Film Festival 2006 Roots of Change, USA documentary on Wangari Maathai (Consultant and dir. Assistance) 2005 Tigerernte in Afrika, 8 Episodes for SWR (Directorial assistance/consultancy) 2001 Shoot for BBC documentary on Highland Malaria; Shoot for NBC Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation; Say No to Poverty for Association of Micro-finance Institutions, Kenya Video documentary 2000 Sweet Sixteen Feature film Screenplay; And this is Progress 10 min, Beta. Part of Trading Images; Women directors from 5 continents. 1998/99 African Children Documentary, digital Video. 1997 Kenyan-German Women cooperation/ 3Sat feature; Zawadi ya Daudi Co-director 83 min, Beta. 1996/97 Koi na Haki Zake 12.30 mins. ZDF/Children TV; Anruf aus Africa 12.30 min, ZDF/Children TV 1995 The Battle of the Sacred Tree 80 min, 35 mm (AWARDS: OCIC (Milan) / Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame, Oakland California; Nomination: M-Net African Film Awards; Best music score, Nairobi) 1990 Der Vogel mit dem gebrochenen Flügel ZDF/Children TV AWARD: Black Cinema International Berlin
Vezetéknév:Kinyanjui Személynév:Wanjiru
Rendező: Africa is a Woman's Name