Jane Munene-Murago is a Kenyan filmmaker, the first woman to study film in Kenya. Most of her films have been documentaries, produced through her company CineArts, on issues affecting women.

Early life and education

Munene grew up in Nairobi. She attended Ngara girls' high school and then later joined Kenya High School.

In 1976 Munene studied at the government-run Kenya Institute of Mass Communication (KIMC), and was the only woman among KIMC's first year of graduates.

Career

Munene's first documentary, The Tender One (1979), was made with United Nations support as part of the International Year of the Child.

Unbroken Spirit (2011) is a portrait of Monica Wangu Wamwere, the mother of human rights activist Koigi wa Wamwere, who took part alongside Wangari Maathai in the 1992 Mothers' Hunger Strike to release political prisoners. The film was shown at the New York African Film Festival 2012.

Murago-Munene is a former chair of the Kenya National Film Association.

As of 2016[update] she was executive director of FEPACI.

Awards

Munene won the Lifetime Achievement Award of the 2012 Kalasha International Film and TV Awards.

Filmography

YearTitleRoleCategoryRef
1979The Tender OneDirectorDocumentary
1991The Chosen OneCo-director with Dommie Yambo-OdotteDocumentary
1994Women, Water and WorkloadDirectorDocumentary
1995Enkishon: the Maasai Child in KenyaDirectorDocumentary
2000Out of SilenceDirectorDocumentary
2003The Price of a DaughterDirectorDocumentary
2004Behind Closed DoorsDirectorDocumentary
2008Turning Tide: Women Entrepreneurs in AfricaDirectorDocumentary
2010Monica Wangu Wamwere:Unbroken SpiritDirectorDocumentary

External links