LIKARION WAINAINA
Born in Moscow, Russia, Likarion lives in Nairobi, Kenya, where he works as Film/TV Director and Cinematographer. He has worked as a cinematographer on a number of documentaries and commercials and has directed TV shows. He has also directed short films among which BETWEEN THE LINES, the first Kenyan film to be projected on an IMAX screen in Kenya. The film got him a nomination at the AMCVA awards 2015 for “Best New Online Media”. In 2016 his short film BAIT was screened at the Cannes International Film Festival.

Director's statement
People always asked me “Why do you want to make this film?”, “What is your intention?” And I always answered “I just want to tell an honest story… to make a film with no pretenses… no manipulations… a film that, in its purest form, bears its soul to you.” That was always the mechanical response I gave. […] Besides it was a very personal story I was making. So when I embarked to develop this story, I drew heavily from my childhood. I drew from that time when I was 9 years old and I had my first cinema experience in an old shack at the edge of Kibera Slums in Kenya. […] From that moment onwards, Films became my solace. Every Saturday I would go back to that shack and for 3 shillings per movie, I would let my mind be transported to other worlds. Worlds that gave me hope, excitement and fear. I also drew from my relationship with my mother; a single Mum raising 4 kids. […] As I wove this story, poured it all in a treatment and got the writers in to take it to the next level, I never truly answered why I really wanted to make this film. That was the case until a month to filming. I had the pleasure of visiting Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi. Ward 1E, the special unit where children with terminal illnesses reside. I went expecting the worst but I was greeted by the most heartwarming, kindest children you will ever meet. There was so much life in that small ward. We chatted, laughed, cheered and shared precious moments with them. Before we left, we played a game with the children. We were to each write what we want on a piece of paper and they would all be anonymously read out loud the following week. […] Almost all of them wished to get better and go home except for this young child who sat next to me. He was shy and a bit withdrawn. […] He just wanted his mother to be happy… Her Sadness was the only thing he couldn’t live with. […] But when I woke up the next morning, I realized that I finally had an intention for making this film. So why do I want to make this film? I just want to tell an honest story. To make a film with no pretenses; no manipulations. A film that in its purest form bears its soul, because someone somewhere has lost someone. Death has snatched that someone from you but you know that they would want you to be happy. You can be happy. Do not fear death, fear not enjoying life. The Heroes at ward 1E are enjoying theirs. So everything since that day, from the shaping of the characters, to the cinematography, to my directing, to the post production; everything I have done for this film is in honor of those little amazing angels at Ward 1E. They are the Heroes who will live forever… They are SUPA MODO.