The Casual is a Maisha Film Lab short film about infidelity and forgiveness in a poverty-stricken society, written and directed by Kenyan newspaper humour writer and BBC Award-winning radio playwright Mark Mutahi in August 2008.
Contents
Plot
Kimani, a frustrated mason (role played by John Mary Mukiza) is too indebted plus poorly paid to buy food for his wife Kanini (Maureen Nankya) and baby Connie (Stella Nambaya). His workmate Meja (Samuel Lutaaya) refuses to lend him money and neither is kiosk owner Mama Mike (Keloy Kemigisha) willing to give him milk and bread on credit. He tells Meja that he is going back to the village. Meanwhile, Kanini has a secret affair with her husband's successful boss Bruno (Roger Masaba). Kim later finds out but forgives the cheaters after being promoted to foreman and his pay increased.
Cast and crew
The cast included John Mary Mukiza, Maureen Nankya, Roger Masaba, Samuel Lutaaya, Keloy Kemigisha plus three extras Eva Tumwesigye (as Janet), Charles Kajubi and Kalya Sam as construction workers. Stella Nambaya was the handheld baby while Bony was the stunt driver.
The crew included two participants from Mira Nair's 4th Maisha Filmmakers' Training Lab, that is, Edward Aikobua (Uganda) as Production Manager and Angela Wamai (Kenya) as First Assistant Director. The Cameraman was Tanzanian Richard Boniface Magumba, Sound recordist George Kaigwa (Kenya), Runner Timothy Tabaaro (Uganda) and Editor Anthony Muteru Paul (Kenya). The Music Score was used with permission from Just A Band (Kenya).
Musarait Kashmiri was the Program Director while Ami Boghani plus Elizabeth Buyondo were her Assistants and Kwezi Ruhinda Kaganda, the Location Coordinator. Mentors on the project included Sabrina Dhawan plus Shernaz Italia (New Delhi, India), Don McKeller plus Semi Chellas (Toronto, ON, Canada), Steve Cohen, Maria Maggenti plus Craig Weiseman (New York, NY, USA), Annie Ryan (Dublin, Ireland), Barry Braverman (Los Angeles, CA, USA), Giles Khan (Bombay, India) and Myles Kane (USA).
The Casual was developed within six days in six different locations supposedly within one mile in a part of Kampala, Uganda near Royal Impala Hotel (Munyonyo). Footage from the seventh location was never used.
Other short films made during the 4th Screenwriters' Lab include On Time by Patricia Olwoch (Uganda) and Sins of the Parents by Judith Lucy Adong (Uganda).