Toni Kamau is the youngest female African documentary producer to be invited as a member of the Academy for Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences - Documentary Branch, class of 2020. 

As a creative producer, director and founder of "We are not the machine", a Kenyan based production company, she tells stories of outsiders, rebels and change makers. Her past credits include half hour documentaries for Al Jazeera, MTV Europe and BBC Africa.  

The Sundance special jury prize winner Softie, produced by Toni and directed/produced by Sam Soko, premiered at Sundance in 2020 in the World Cinema Documentary Feature Competition. I am Samuel, a feature directed by 2019 Rory Peck winner Pete Murimi recently had its world premiere at the 2020 edition of Hot Docs. Toni was also a producer for a Kenyan episode on Earn A Living, an interactive documentary.

In today’s episode we talk about the challenges of producing impact film in East Africa, pushing against boundaries to get stories told and the process of becoming a member of the Academy for Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences - Documentary Branch class of 2020. 

See Toni’s work:

Website:  https://www.wearenotthemachine.com/

Connect with Toni:

•  Instagram @tonisnap
• Facebook @toni.kamau
• Twitter @Toni_Producer