Kati Kati [2016] directed by newcomer Mbithi Masya follows Kaleche (Nyokabi Gethaiga), a young woman who has no memory of her life and death, get used to the afterlife which is a kind of resort where the inhabitants can request almost anything they want except for escape.
Life in The After. What’s so impressive and wonderful about this film is its ability to tell such a magical story with so little. The simplicity in the filmmaking allows for something special to really hit when the unique and important moments of the story strike. The actors are all great, the photography is lush and beautiful, and the story is presented and progressed excellently. There’s nothing unnecessary here, it’s all streamlined and efficient storytelling. When you can make the audience sincerely curious and honestly care about something as simple as markings made of white paint you know you’re doing something right.
Beautiful and Dread. Coming to with no memory of who she is, where’s she been, or where she is, Kaleche finds herself amongst a group of individuals in a resort called Kati Kati. Obviously, the news that she’s here because she’s dead is hard to swallow at first, let alone the strange way she’s shown the resorts operates. It appears to have no caretakers, with food appearing and messes disappearing at the right times through the day. A board outside her room can be used to request whatever she wants; clothes, books, albums, etc. Anything of course except others (they’d have to die for that to happen) and a means to leave. The mystery of how she died, why she’s there, and when she might move on are the central aspect of the story. The characters around her have their own mysteries and secrets, and it all culminates in a rich tale that feels totally unique yet strangely familiar.
Kati Kati is a small film with a big message. Written, directed, photographed, and performed with a richness and heart most necessary in today’s releases.
