Anam's Wake premieres to strong reception as Kenyan horror finds its voice

Kenyan psychological thriller Anam's Wake premiered to a packed audience at Prestige Cinema in Nairobi, marking the latest addition to the country's growing film industry.

Directed by Likarion Wainaina, who is known for Supa Modo, the film blends local mourning traditions with psychological horror.

It follows Anam, a professional mourner who uncovers long-buried family secrets while presiding over a wake at the influential Ebale family home.

The premiere attracted filmmakers, actors and cinema lovers eager to support local productions, with audiences praising the film's atmospheric storytelling and its exploration of grief, ritual and generational trauma.

Set in a distinctly Kenyan environment, the story tackles themes that resonate beyond its cultural setting.

Lead actress Marima Wanjiru delivers a restrained performance as Anam, whose emotional composure gradually unravels as the story unfolds. The supporting cast, including Peter Kawa, Vanessa Okeyo, Samson Omondi and Ruth Apondi, grounds the supernatural elements with convincing performances that heighten the tension.

The film follows Anam, a professional mourner trained to summon Death and negotiate passage for the dead. Since losing her mother 16 years earlier, however, she has been unable to experience genuine grief.

Her first solo assignment takes her to the Ebale family home, where Death arrives sooner than expected and what begins as a traditional wake slowly descends into a haunting confrontation with hidden truths about inheritance, guilt, power and superstition.

The family home becomes central to the story, with long silences, lingering glances and restrained dialogue creating an atmosphere of mounting unease. Wide shots of the house contrast with intimate close-ups, while the sound design, featuring drums, chants and subtle ambient effects, reinforces the psychological tension.

Samson Omondi stands out as The Negotiator, delivering one of the film's most memorable performances through his measured dialogue and commanding screen presence

. Ben Teke also leaves a lasting impression in the unconventional role of the deceased, while Peter Kawa's portrayal of Mason Ebale explores the consequences of suppressing grief and emotion.

Veteran actress Apondi Olielo, remembered by many for Tausi, also appears as Anam's aunt, Kavata.

The film's production design, traditional costumes, jewellery and use of the Dholuo language add cultural depth while reinforcing its themes.

Speaking after the premiere, Wainaina said the film was inspired by his own experiences with loss.

"This was from my own experience. I witnessed so many deaths in 2024, and I also went through a very tough health scare and procedure. It even made me draft my own will. Grief and death are things that eventually touch all of us," he said.

He added that the story also grew out of his fear of unprocessed grief.

Producer Wanjiru Njoroge said the project reflected the type of stories she hopes to tell through African cinema.

"Anam's Wake is the kind of film I entered this industry to make, deeply rooted in African culture yet universal in its themes. It is a story about grief, family secrets, identity and a young woman navigating the tension between tradition and her own path."

She said the film's emotional impact comes from what remains unsaid as much as what is spoken.

At its core, Anam's Wake examines grief as ritual, responsibility and inheritance, asking what happens when a family or community fails to confront its loss.

The film invites audiences to reflect on unresolved pain and emotional trauma.

Screening continues in Kenyan cinemas through regular cinema schedules.