The Construction of Kenya's International Image by the Film Industry 1980-2020

According to IMDb the highest-ranking film about Kenya is the Constant Gardener (2005) with more than 130,000 votes, some total worldwide box-office gross earnings of $82.47M and a Metascore of 82 as compared to world's highest ranking The Shawshank Redemption (1994) with more than 2 million votes, a gross worldwide of $28.89M and a Metascore of 81. Furthermore, the Constant Gardener received more than 200 critics from external reviewers from around the world with insights into the political, economic, and social factors within the country which contributed to the promotion of the image of Kenya. Despite the success of this film, little has been done in promoting the international image of Kenya through this medium. Therefore, this research investigated the extent to which film as an art form shaped Kenya’s international image. The research analyzed films in Kenya produced between 1980 -2020. The project investigated the relationship between film and Kenya’s international image as well as assessed how film influenced the international image of African states. The overall methodological approach used is qualitative in nature with a case study research design. The primary sources of data collection were through interviews and observation of the films related to the project. Secondary sources included literature and online film reviews. The data analysis applied was thematic analysis so as to draw out latent themes on film from the study. Post colonialism and constructivist theories provided the most relevant theoretical framework to study the films.