One Woman One Bra
| One Woman One Bra | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Vincho Nchogu |
| Written by | Vincho Nchogu |
| Produced by | Josh Olaoluwa |
| Starring | Sarah Karei Norng'aruani Kipuker Amos Leuka Irungu Mutu Boniface Saitabau Davina Leonard |
| Cinematography | Muhammad Atta Ahmed |
| Edited by | Shannon C. Griffin |
| Music by | Henrique Eisenmann |
Production companies | Kilastory Conceptified Media |
| Distributed by | Kilastory |
Release date |
|
Running time | 80 minutes |
| Countries | Kenya, Nigeria |
| Languages | Maa, Swahili, English |
One Woman One Bra is a 2025 comedy drama film written and directed by Vincho Nchogu in her feature directorial debut. The film is a co-production between Kenya and Nigeria starring Sarah Karei as Star, a 38-year-old unmarried woman in a rural Kenyan village who faces losing her home when title deeds based on kinship ties are distributed. The film premiered at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival in the Biennale College Cinema section and went on to win the Sutherland Award for Best Feature Film at the BFI London Film Festival.[1][2]
Synopsis
[edit]In the village of Sayit, Kenya, community members are about to receive title deeds to their land. However because the deeds are based on kinship ties, Star Karei, an unmarried woman whose parentage is unknown, may lose her home. She discovers a photograph of her younger self in "The World Book of Nomads" with a possible hint about her background. Desperate to maintain her claim to her land, Star tries various strategies which brings her into conflict with the village.
Production
[edit]One Woman One Bra was written and directed by Kenyan filmmaker Vincho Nchogu in her feature directorial debut.[2] The film was produced by Nigerian filmmaker Joshua Olaoluwa through the Lagos-based Conceptified Media and the Kenyan-based Kilastory.[2][3] It was developed through the Biennale College Cinema programme as one of four projects selected worldwide.[4] Nchogu and Olaolua had previously been selected for the Red Sea Labs in 2023 and the Torino Film Lab, developing another feature project.[4]
The film was shot entirely in Kenya with the cast and crew comprising 70% people from the village of Nkosesia in the Loita area.[3][4] Actor Amos Leuka helped welcome the production in his village and gather women from a travelling community theatre to audition.[3] The cinematography was conducted by Muhammad Atta Ahmed, whose credits include Beyoncé's Black is King.[2][4]
The film draws on Nchogu's own experiences as an aspiring filmmaker in East Africa, where she worked for a nonprofit organisation making what she now regards as "propaganda films" in which African subjects would often "suppress their personal narratives to conform to the organization's salvation myth".[2] She cites the controversial 2012 documentary Kony 2012 as a turning point in her thinking about the power of owning one's narrative and the conception of "white saviorism" on the continent.[2]
Release
[edit]One Woman One Bra had its world premiere at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on 27 August 2025, screening in the Biennial College Cinema section.[2] [4]It was the first Nigerian-produced to premiere at the Venice Film Festival.[2] The film later had its North American premiere at the Tribeca Festival in 2026. It also screened at the BFI London Film Festival, where it won the Sutherland Award in the first feature competition.[1] The film held its African premiere at the 47th Durban International Film Festival.[5]
Reception
[edit]The film has received positive reviews from critics. Screen International described the film as "brisk, energetic and to-the-point; a persuasive argument for reclaiming a cultural narrative from those who have no right to it".[6] The BFI London Film Festival jury praised Nchogu's "ability to confidently move between so many tones, but always holding the audience with care," adding that her film makes use of humour for "shattering effect".[1] Critics generally highlight the film's critique of Western NGOs and the "white saviour complex" while noting how the film addresses women's rights and autonomy.[6]
Accolades
[edit]| Award/Festival | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| BFI London Film Festival | Sutherland Award (Best First Feature) | won | [1] |
| Tribeca Festival | Audience Award – Narrative First Place | won | [7] |
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 Szalai, Georg (2025-10-19). "'Landmarks,' 'The Travelers,' 'One Woman One Bra' Win BFI London Film Festival Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2026-07-28.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Vourlias, Christopher (2025-08-31). "Venice Premiere 'One Woman One Bra' Takes Aim at 'Message-Based' Films Shaping African Narrative". Variety. Retrieved 2026-07-28.
- 1 2 3 "Biennale Cinema 2025 | One Woman One Bra". La Biennale di Venezia. 2025-07-10. Retrieved 2026-07-28.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Akinsanmi, 'Sola (2025-08-21). "'One Woman One Bra,' selected for screening at Venice International Film Festival". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. Retrieved 2026-07-28.
- ↑ "ONE WOMAN ONE BRA – Durban International Film Festival". ccadiff.ukzn.ac.za. Retrieved 2026-07-28.
- 1 2 "One Woman One Bra | VIFF Centre". Vancouver International Film Festival. Retrieved 2026-07-28.
- ↑ "Award Screening: One Woman One Bra (Audience Award - Narrative First Place) | 2026 Tribeca Festival". Tribeca. Retrieved 2026-07-28.