Supa Modo
Directed by Likarion Wainaina
Germany/Kenya | 2018 | Fiction | 74 min | English/Kikuyu/Swahili w/English subtitles
Film Source: Juno
Awards / premier festivals: Berlin – Youth Jury Award
Sponsor: Patricia Fontaine
* Recommended as family viewing for ages 11+
A superhero film like no other, Supa Modo follows a 9-year-old Kenyan girl named Jo (Stycie Waweru) who takes flight from the harsh realities of a terminal illness diagnosis by believing she has super powers like her heroes. Far from being a morbid film, director Likarion Wainaina succeeds in creating a funny and joyful experience without undermining the seriousness of Jo’s condition. This is a film about both the role of fantasy and the power of a community to support their own by rallying around her and creating situations that lead Jo to believe that she does, indeed, possess superpowers. Waweru, in the role of Jo, is marvelous and helps challenge and redefine the representation of African women in film. ~ OY