Likarion Wainaina (born 20 August 1987), is a Russian–born Kenyan filmmaker. He is best known as the director of critically acclaimed shorts Between the Lines and Bait as well as most awarded Kenyan film in history, Supa Modo. In addition to directing, he is a cinematographer, editor, producer and actor.
Personal life He was born on 20 August 1987 in Moscow, Russia to Kenyan parents. When he was four years old, he moved to Kenya with his family. He has one sister and two brothers.
Career He started by making films and then later moved to theater. He has been a member of the Phoenix Players theater in Nairobi since 2007. Later he worked as a theater director. In the meantime, he also worked in the film industry as a gaffer and cinematographer. As a cinematographer he worked on a number of documentaries, commercials and television sitcoms. In 2013, he founded the company Kibanda Pictures.
In 2013, he made the short film Between the Lines which later became the first Kenyan Film to be projected on an IMAX screen in Kenya. The short received critical acclaim and then nominated at the AMCVA awards 2015 for Best New Online Media Award. Then he directed the short film Bait in 2015, which was selected at the 48-Hour Film Project Festival. The shot also won several awards including Best Director, Audience Choice awards and Judges Choice awards. It was also selected as one of the top short films screened at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival. In 2018, he produced short film, My Faith, which won the Best East African Film during the Mashariki Film Festival.
In 2018, Wainaina made his acting debut with the film Wavamizi. That same year, he made his directorial debut with the film Supa Modo, which was critically acclaimed. The film had its premiere at 68th Berlin International Film Festival. It was later selected as the Kenyan entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 91st Academy Awards, but it was not nominated. With all these awards, the film becoming the most-awarded film in Kenya and a critics’ favorite.
His television work includes commercial advertisements for Pascha milk and Santa Maria, Kenyan food brands. Wainaina has directed nine Africa Magic Original Films (AMOF) and a TV sitcom titled Classmates. In 2016, he made the television serial Auntie Boss! which aired on NTV after the death of original director Derrick Omfwoko Aswani. Meanwhile, he was the cinematographer for the music videos of Sarabi Band which made 'Tumechoka' and 'Haujali' as well as cinematography in the music video 'Loneliness' sung by Liron.
In 2022 Wainaina directed the Kibanda Pictures political series County 49 for Showmax. County 49 follows the political leaders of the fictional Bwatele County, Kenya’s 49th county. The series stars Wakio Mzenge, Nyokabi Macharia, Ainea Ojiambo, Maqbul Mohammed, Martin Githinji, Peter Kawa, Benson Ojuwa, Nick Kwach, Emmanuel Mugo, Angela Mwandanda, and Sam Psenjen.
In September 2024, Showmax released Subterranea, Kenya's first Sci-fi series directed by Wainaina. He described the series as "Big Brother meets Survivor meets Silo”
Filmography Year Title Role Genre Ref. 2013 Between the Lines Director, cinematographer, writer, producer, editor Short film 2014 Virgin Goat Cinematographer Short film 2014 Auntie Boss Director TV series 2015 Is This Your Daughter? Cinematographer Short film 2015 Bait Director, cinematographer, producer Short film 2016–2020 Auntie Boss! Director TV series 2017 Freedom Voter Film 2017 News Just In Cinematographer TV series 2017 Varshita! Director TV series 2018 Wavamizi Actor: Swahili Trader Short film 2018 Supa Modo Director, writer, Actor: Motorcycle mounted thief Film 2019 I Had to Bury Cucu Cinematographer Short film 2020 Morning After Cinematographer Short film 2022County 49DirectorTV series2024SubterraneaDirectorTV series
Awards He received the Best Director of Photography award at the 6th Kalasha International Film & TV Awards.
See also List of Kenyan submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film List of submissions to the 91st Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film Filmfest Hamburg Zlín Film Festival Zanzibar International Film Festival 2015 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards 6th Kalasha International Film & TV Awards List of Kenyan films
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