Boniface Mwangi’s film “Softie” has been nominated in the 2021 Emmy Awards for Outstanding Politics and Government Documentary Feature. The Emmy Awards chose the documentary from a pool of 52 submissions. The Emmy is one of the four prominent entertainment awards in the United States, the Oscar for film, the Grammy for music and the Tony for theatre.
The nomination was announced on Twitter by the ‘POV on PBS’ account. POV (perspective of view) is a television series produced by the American Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) that features independent nonfiction films. It is the longest-running independent documentary film showcase on television. Each year, PBS airs 14–16 POV programs, and the series has screened over 400 films to U.S. television audiences since 1988.
The film ‘Softie’ was written and directed by Sam Soko and produced by Toni Kamau. It follows Boniface Mwangi’s life and how his advocacy has affected his life and family; through his activism, protests, and attempts to enter Kenya’s political scene.
Boniface Mwangi’s journey during the 2017 election is chronicled in this film. Despite various political roadblocks, he decides to press on with the help of his wife, Njeri. Soko had intended to make a short film, but he eventually opted to document Mwangi’s street protests, activism, and campaign journey in its entirety.
The film premiered at Sundance in January 2020, where it won the special jury prize for editing. It received a spectacular response and was named Best Documentary at the Durban International Film Festival 2020. Kenyans were able to see the film on multiple screens at Eldoret (Rupa Cinema), Mombasa (Nyali Cinemax), Kisumu (Mega Cinema), and Nairobi’s Prestige Cinema, Anga Diamond Plaza, Motion Cinema, and Westgate Cinema in October 2020.
The film recently received the Willy Brandt Documentary Award for Freedom and Human Rights at the Human Rights Film Festival Berlin (HRFFB). In addition, to have qualified for the Oscar Awards shortlists in the category of Best Documentary Feature in 2020, where it was one of more than 40 documentaries nominated.
