‘I’m Good When I’m Strong’: A Review & Conversation With The Filmmakers.

Recently shown at an exclusive screening at Unseen Nairobi, the latest short film by Kenyan filmmakers Kamande Muigai, 18, & Thomas Seward, 20, is extraordinary.

Served from the point of view of a young boxer named Charlie (played by Daryl), ‘I’m Good When I’m Strong’ tells the heartbreaking story of his mother (played by Yvonne Ngeso): a now retired boxer who does whatever she believes is necessary to survive. We watch through Charlie’s eyes as she refuses to take any time off to heal after putting herself through extreme physical torment in the ring, and later listen through Charlie’s ears as she suffers grave consequences for her sacrifices.

It’s a story about working-class struggles, being forced to go to extreme lengths just to stay alive, female resilience, loneliness & abandonment, & what it means to be brave when you can’t afford to be afraid: “Every day (when) I wake up, I’m afraid… but I can’t be scared. We don’t have that luxury.”

More character study than plot-driven narrative, I’d say that it’s also a story about identity — specifically the loss of identity that comes with being in the devastating position Charlie’s mother is in. Even though this is her story, we don’t know her name — only her boxing moniker, ‘The Hands of Stone’. Her identity is stripped & reduced to her means of survival. It’s minute details like this that make it such a compelling story. With as much depth & nuance as it holds, it’s almost unbelievable that this dazzling & refreshing piece of cinema is only 7 minutes long.

As writer & director, Kamande chooses to show more than tell, using Thomas’ brilliant cinematography as a tool to do so. The cast gives stellar performances, and the score (by capespring.) fits perfectly with the subject matter & atmosphere of this magnificent offering.

With the undeniable & continuous growth in their work, from ‘Duara’ to ‘Nobody Loses Like I Do’ to this, it’s safe to say that with these two around the Kenyan film industry is in good hands.

still from ‘I’m Good When I’m Strong’

Before the screening, I got a brief chance to talk to Kamande and Thomas about their work and Kenyan artistry at large.

What inspired you to pursue film & visual art as the medium to tell your stories, and how has that initial spark influenced your journey so far?

Thomas: I wouldn’t want to give one of those cliché “I started when I was 2 years old” answers, but pretty much that. I’m amazed by the environment, everything that surrounds us, the mundane, and how to better translate it into something that can inspire and amaze people. And when I liaised with Kamande a few years ago, it just clicked: the perfect fusion of the story and the vision. Since then, it’s been crazy. We’re inspired by our friends, the people we look up to, Christopher Nolan, Hoyte van Hoytema, and all those amazing artists who may not yet know us but soon will. I can’t even quantify what inspired us because it’s everything and everyone, even the audience. Most of your journeys inspire the stories we tell together.

Kamande: We weren’t really born with a knack for filmmaking; it found us in the same way we found it. For me, art is more of a necessity than a hobby. I felt like I had a lot of things to say, ideas that were very hard to communicate, and I was looking for the best way to put them across; and I think that is what art is. That’s why people paint, people sing, people dance, and people like us make movies. I love watching films. I love watching how films are made. Human nature is to emulate your heroes and the things that make you happy, so I did that to the best of my ability and found a medium to express myself.

Before this session, the two of you were geeking over Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’. I’d love to hear a bit more about your influences, especially local ones.

Kamande: Even if you hadn’t put a focus on Kenyan artistry, my answer would still be Kenya-centric. I think there’s a correlation between suffering and making art. Art is a tool for people who are suffering, and Africans have suffered so much, so there are a lot of amazing artists here. And colonization was so bad — I’m not a fan of it. But one of my favorite Kenyan films is ‘Nairobi Half Life’. Not only is it visually appealing, but it also has something to say. As subjective as art is, I’d say that a good piece of art is something that says something well; and Nairobi Half Life does just that. If I could branch out of film for a bit, Nairobi has such good music. Actually, sort of how I started filmmaking is one of my good friends Polo (the artist known as capespring.) showed me a song he’d made on Soundcloud when we were in year 9, & when he told me he’d made it, I asked how he could’ve made it when he wasn’t famous. And he said, “You can just make whatever you want to.” So I started making movies. I’m also inspired by The Rugbones (a Kenyan music collective), Ndung’u Mbithi, & of course, there’s Thomas. Meeting him streamlined everything. I could focus on writing, sound engineering, & directing and leave light and color entirely up to him. We have a great dynamic, so he’s another one of my favorite artists.

Thomas: I’d also say The Rugbones: Raimi, Mars, Ndungu, and Ashley; they’re all great inspirations. Of course, there’s Nairobi Half Life. I’m also inspired by many photographers: Rodgers Ouma, Alvin Wangai, and Taro — just to name a few. Then when you branch out, there’s Terrence Malick & his use of wide angles, Stanley Kubrick & his unconventional storytelling, just things that really move the world, including me. Now, in the internet age, you have more access to so much inspirational work. Even what Gabriel Moses came to Kenya to do with Brian Msafiri & Bubu Ogisi: that amazing short film they made for a fashion brand really stirred me up and inspired me to get better at what I do. Such things are meant to inspire you so that you can drive the next generation of artistry forward in your locale and demographic.

Both of you have mentioned ‘Nairobi Half Life’, & I think every single person I ask what their favorite Kenyan movie is says Nairobi Half Life’ & sometimes ‘Rafiki’. But there are so many great Kenyan movies out there that most people haven’t even seen. So I wonder, as filmmakers, what do you think the issue is? Is it an audience issue or an industry issue?

Kamande: Kenya is in such a unique situation. It’s a bit of a dichotomy: both positive & negative, and you’ve highlighted the negative. First of all, another great Kenyan film I’d recommend is ‘Uradi’. It’s similar to ‘Nairobi Half Life’, and it sent me down a Kenyan directors’ rabbit hole a few months ago. Our films are out there. There’s another film called ‘Cars’, you should check that out as well. The Kenyan film industry is expansive, but I think it doesn’t get the recognition international films do because Kenya is a child. We’ve only been independent for about 60 years, yet we have this comparative nature where we’re like, we must be like the US or the UK: nations that are over centuries old and have had time to grow. We’re trying to hurry up our process. And we’ve actually moved quite fast. Just 80 years ago, we wouldn’t have been able to convene in a theatre, but here we are now. We’re taking big steps, but we have to pace ourselves. When you’re a country that’s this young, when there are so many unhoused & hungry people, art becomes a secondary interest. And even though some people here consider art as just as important as eating or sleeping, you have to understand where Kenya is now and not get frustrated with it; and work on getting it where you want it to be. Support local artists, have more screenings like this one, and just do as much as you can.

Thomas: I share the same sentiment and would summarize with this: the art niche is very well-developed, the ideas are there, & we have very talented artists. But the industry does not see the value in it yet, and that’s why it seems underdeveloped.

You’ve worked together for almost three years now. How have your personal & professional relationships evolved during that time? And do you separate your friendship from work, or is it intertwined?

Thomas: Kamande is my best friend. He’s one of the few people who understand me & my ideas & isn’t afraid of breaking boundaries, especially in art & cinematography: which I’d say is 10 to 15 times harder than photography. You don’t just go to a set with your camera. There are so many moving parts. And he’s been a great support to me both personally & professionally. We sometimes go for walks, we send each other memes, & we’re always in the loop with each other’s lives. Generally, I like to get some coalescence of our personal & professional lives. Of course, we’ve sometimes not been on the best of terms because it’s a very stressful endeavor, but our friendship overrides all those differences. He’s a great guy & I really wish him the best. He has a very bright future.

Kamande: Thomas is unbiasedly one of the best photographers our nation has ever created, and it’s been so interesting journeying into filmography together. When I met him, I was already writing & shooting some stuff, but filmography was introduced to both of us at the same time. Sound engineering, set design, prop design: we’ve learned all that & grown together. Everyone is a product of their environment, so I don’t know if I’d be the same guy if I hadn’t met Thomas, and I don’t think we’d be in the same position if we hadn’t worked together, so I’m grateful to whatever made that possible.