Oscar-nominated Kenyan film Watu Wote’s producers have called out the chairperson of the Kenya Film and Classification Board Ezekiel Mutua and the KFCB over what they term as an infringement of the film’s copyright rules.
In a statement, the Hamburg media school who are producers of the film seemed not to take Mutua and KFCB’s statement lightly that they sponsored a screening of the film at the Eclipse theatre in Las Vegas Nevada just a few days before the 90th Oscars awards were held, saying that KFCB did not own any copyrights to screen the film.
“ We as the owner of all copyrights for Watu wote want to point out very clearly that KFCB and Dr. Mutua had no right to do so, this screening was an illegal act and a copyright infringement,” The Hamburg media school said in a statement.
The media school also denied that Mutua attended the 90th Oscars award as he earlier stated.
“Further in their public domain, same as on the official KFCB website and in their press release KFCB and Dr. Mutua claim to have officially attended this ceremony of the 90th Oscars in support of our film together with us,.Also this fact is incorrect.Contrary to this claims, Dr. Mutua was not in attendance at the ceremony and did not participate at the Oscars with us.” The statement continues.
The film producers say they have written to the Head of public service and several government departments over the matter.
The film Watu wote is based on a true story in December 2015 in Mandera when Muslims shielded Christians against Alshabaab militants who had attacked a Mandera bound bus which they were traveling in.
The militants had demanded that Muslims line up separately from the Christians so as to kill the Christians but the passengers refused to be divided on the basis of their region.
The film had been nominated for the best live action short film though it did not bag the award.
Mutua is yet to respond to the allegations.
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