Vincho NCHOGU
Korean Premiere
The villagers of Sayit are about to receive title deeds, marking the first time in centuries they will claim legal ownership of their land. While this is great news for many, 38-year-old Star faces the risk of losing her home. The title deeds are based on kinship ties, and since her parentage is unknown and she is unmarried, her situation is precarious. Things take a turn when Star discovers a photograph of her younger self in The World Book of Nomads. In the picture, a mysterious hand with familiar tribal markings catches her attention, as she recognizes those marks as belonging to a local food seller. Believing the woman to be her estranged mother, Star confronts her, but the woman denies any connection. Desperate to maintain her claim to the land, Star considers several options: finding the foreign photographer who took the picture, proposing marriage to a friend, and signing a morally questionable deal with an NGO. However, this deal puts her at loggerheads with her community.
My journey in filmmaking began with creating propaganda films for a nonprofit organization, where I often witnessed individuals suppress their personal narratives to conform to the organization¡¯s "salvation myth." A turning point for me was the viral documentary KONY 2012, which raised $30 million and prompted me to question its true impact on the children involved. My first feature, One Woman One Bra, explores the tensions of personal ambition, cultural reclamation, and ethical dilemmas. I am grateful for the support of the Venice Biennale College, which allowed me to tell the story of a woman fighting for recognition despite lacking family, husband, or children. It raises the question of a woman's identity when she is not a mother, daughter, or wife. What began as a political commentary evolved into a feminist narrative. I met Amos Leuka through my casting director. He not only welcomed me to film in his village of Nkosesia, Loita, but also gathered women from a traveling community theater to audition. We found our location, core cast, and community in one weekend after months of searching. My producer, production designer, cinematographer, and I shuttled between Nairobi and Loita for several weeks in preparation for production. Ultimately, we assembled a diverse cast and crew, with 70% hailing from Nkosesia, for which I am immensely thankful. I am excited for audiences to experience this film, crafted by an incredibly talented cast and crew. Viewers will embark on a journey with a woman battling for her home and identity while immersed in the vibrant sights and sounds of a village nestled on the Kenyan border with Tanzania.
Vincho Nchogu is a multi-medium storyteller and an Indigenous Knowledge Systems digital archivist. She gained recognition in 2017 as the producer of Gabriel and the Mountain, a Brazilian biopic that premiered at the Cannes Film Festival - Critics' Week, winning two awards. In 2025, she wrote and directed One Woman One Bra which premiered at the 82nd Venice IFF, and won the Sutherland award for best first feature film at the BFI London Film Festival.