Corruption, the urban-rural divide and women's roles in society are issues addressed by the fictional series "Country Queen". The series from Kenya is the first series from East Africa to be distributed worldwide on Netflix. As of June 15, the show will also be available to stream on Arte in France and Germany.
The series focuses around Akisa, a woman who moved far from her village to leave her past behind and start a new life in Nairobi. Yet when she is compelled to return home to visit her ailing father, she finds that an exploitative mining company has discovered gold near her childhood village. Caught between worlds, she must confront her past and decide what is truly important.
Filmmakers worked on the series for five years with the support of DW Akademie and its partner Good Karma Fiction. Local expertise and capacities in all areas of film production, from acting and directing to camera and makeup, were built up during production. The high quality of the series ultimately attracted the interest of the streaming service Netflix and "Country Queen" has gone on to be hailed as a major success for the Kenyan creative sector.
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Kenya's first Netflix series "Country Queen" - Entertaining audiences and opening doors
A David and Goliath story
The "Country Queen" plot centers around Akisa, who left her village years ago to move to the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. Yet when tragedy strikes, she must return home. Once there, she discovers that an exploitative mining company has moved in and her village is under threat. She now has to decide whether to return to her life in the city or face her past and fight for her village.
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Kenya's first Netflix series "Country Queen" - Entertaining audiences and opening doors
A first for the region
It took 80 actors, 87 crew members and over 250 extras to film the six episodes of the first season. The series was released on Netflix on July 15, 2022, becoming the first Kenyan series on the streaming platform. For three weeks, it was the top-streamed series in Kenya. The project was supported by DW Akademie and the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
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Kenya's first Netflix series "Country Queen" - Entertaining audiences and opening doors
Creating a vocabulary for change
The drama series deals with land grabbing, child labor, corruption and other challenges currently facing Kenyans. "I know that our issues in our country cannot be solved overnight, but our story brings a vocabulary so people can talk about [the issues] and hopefully create a lasting solution," said producer Kamau Wandung'u.
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Kenya's first Netflix series "Country Queen" - Entertaining audiences and opening doors
Melissa Kiplagat, Actor (Akisa)
"What I like about the series is it doesn't show the stereotypical view of Africans, especially Africans in the village. [Productions] are always kind of showing us as very backward and wanting to go to the city and all of this, but the [series] shows really strong, passionate, fiery people in the village. And they're just as strong in terms of their character as the people in the city."
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Kenya's first Netflix series "Country Queen" - Entertaining audiences and opening doors
Vincent Mbaya, Director
"Our country is at a critical transitory stage politically, socially and economically. Kenyans are at a point where they need introspection […]: How much control should global corporations have on our mining and agriculture? And how much is corruption affecting us? These are conversations that should and are being had. 'Country Queen' is adding a strong voice to this."
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Kenya's first Netflix series "Country Queen" - Entertaining audiences and opening doors
Sheila Munyiva, Actor (Anna)
"This story is not only personal to me because I'm Kenyan but because it goes down to my local tribe, which is Kamba, and I get to speak my language in this show. That gives me great pride and it gives me great joy that I was able to contribute to my local language. I would call my grandmother to help me even translate the difficult words for the people and writers on set."
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Kenya's first Netflix series "Country Queen" - Entertaining audiences and opening doors
Nashreen Wangai, Second Assistant Camera
"I achieved my full potential on the production of 'Country Queen'. The producers and my department head were able to see in me what I was yet to see in myself […] I am currently doing [first assistant camera] jobs and this is all thanks to the skills I acquired on the 'Country Queen' set, working as a second assistant camera. I am hoping to become the next best female [director of photography]."
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Kenya's first Netflix series "Country Queen" - Entertaining audiences and opening doors
Raymond Olufa, Actor (Mwalimu)
Good Karma Fiction acted as executive producers and, with Tililiz Productions, also led trainings at various levels, including acting. "With 'Country Queen', and the Good Karma Fiction and DW Akademie team, the standards for good, successful productions were set up in a completely new way, and with respect for the film artists. That was a game changer," said Raymond Olufa.
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Kenya's first Netflix series "Country Queen" - Entertaining audiences and opening doors
Nini Wacera, Actor (Vivienne)
Nini has worked in the industry for 24 years. The workshops, she said, "raised the bar of acting because we now demand more from ourselves as actors. And what I continue to gain is the idea that you never stop learning about techniques and skills. As an actor, you've never reached a point where you can be like, 'yeah, I know it all' or 'I've learned enough'."
For the first time, all six episodes will be available in France and Germany on Arte. The series was previously released worldwide on Netflix in July 2022, apart from these two countries.
A TV broadcast is also planned on Arte on June 22 and June 29, at 10:55 p.m. with three episodes to be played each night.
The DW Akademie film industries team supports and implements projects that aim to strengthen the economic systems of film industries in the Global South and to contribute to freedom of expression. Funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), DW Akademie professionalizes and qualifies filmmakers in the creation, production and distribution of films and series.
