The film ‘Call Me Queen’ is set to premiere in Kenya on October 17, 2026, at the NBO Film Festival, located at Prestige Ngong Road from 6 PM. Members of the film's Kenyan and international cast and crew are expected to attend the special premiere. Tickets to the event are on sale for the exclusive Africa red-carpet premiere, which includes a welcome cocktail, exclusive screening, cast and crew Q&A, and networking with filmmakers and industry guests.
‘Call Me Queen’ stars Eliane Umuhire, Denise Gough, Charlie Carrick, Dominic West, Laurent Lafitte, Danny Sapani, alongside Kenya's Michelle Tiren, Nice Githinji, Lwanda Jawar, Helen Keli, Peter Kawa, and Eddie Kimani. The film, directed by award-winning French-Iranian filmmaker Emily Atef, was filmed in Kenya with a largely local cast and production team. The screenplay, based on veteran foreign correspondent Lara Santoro's novel ‘Mercy’, was written by Emily Atef, Hawa Essuman, Josune Hahnheiser, and Jeannine Dominy.
Director Emily Atef describes Queen, the protagonist, as the "undisputed heroine of the film." Queen is a woman whose resilience and natural leadership emerge as her personal struggle grows into a fight for her community. Atef praises Queen's strength, humour, fearlessness, and innate intelligence, which make her a born leader. Queen and those around her take control of their own struggle and fight for change on their own terms.
The film is set in Nairobi in 1999, against the backdrop of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The story follows Queen Achungo, a fiercely determined Rwandan refugee and single mother living in Korogocho slum, and Anna, an Irish-Italian international journalist newly arrived in Kenya. Desperate to find work and provide for her children, Queen approaches Anna and becomes her housekeeper. Their lives become intertwined as their friendship develops.
As their friendship grows, Queen opens Anna's eyes to a reality far removed from her privileged life. Their different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives repeatedly challenge their relationship but also create a space for both women to see the world and themselves differently. The film explores themes of unequal access to life-saving HIV medication, confronting wider questions of race, global trade, and political responsibility.
The October 17 premiere at the NBO Film Festival marks ‘Call Me Queen’s official Kenyan launch, ahead of its theatrical release across Kenya and East Africa from October 30, 2026. The film has already earned selections at leading international festivals, including the Hamburg Film Festival in Germany. Crimson Multimedia and Yakwetu, in partnership, will distribute the film, aiming to spark conversations about equality, dignity, and access to life.
The film's distribution will be followed by partnerships for impact screenings on critical issues raised, such as HIV/AIDS prevention, equal access to healthcare, women empowerment, and social justice. CEO Trushna Buddhdev-Patel says the film's release is an opportunity to do good, inviting partnerships to amplify the conversation on these pressing matters. The film offers a riveting look back at a defining period in Kenya's history, asking urgent questions that remain relevant today.
Key points
- The film ‘Call Me Queen’ premieres at the NBO Film Festival on October 17, 2026.
- The film explores themes of unequal access to life-saving HIV medication and social justice.
- The film will be released in cinemas across Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda from October 30, 2026.
