EXCLUSIVE: New Mountain Movies has acquired North American rights to Nawi: Expensive Future Me, Kenya’s submission for Greatest Worldwide Characteristic on the 2025 Oscars.
The Kenyan-German drama, impressed by true occasions, follows a 13-year-old lady in rural Kenya whose father trades her into marriage in change for livestock. On her wedding ceremony night time, she escapes, strolling alone to Nairobi to pursue an schooling. When she learns that her toddler sister is being pressured to take her place, Nawi returns to confront her household.
The film, which not too long ago screened on the UN Fee on the Standing of Ladies in New York, is co-directed by Toby and Kevin Schmutzler, Apuu Mourine, and Vallentine Chelluget, with a script by Kevin and Toby Schmutzler and based mostly on a narrative by Milcah Cherotich.
The lead function is portrayed by Michelle Lemuya Ikeny in her function debut.
The movie has earned accolades together with the Africa Film Academy Award for Greatest Newcomer, the Particular Jury Award at Beijing’s BJIFF (Tiantan Awards), and twin wins at Raindance.
The deal was negotiated immediately between Sabbour and the filmmakers at FilmCrew Media: Kevin and Toby Schmutzler and producer Lydia Wrensch. New Mountain is at the moment concentrating on a February 2026 theatrical launch throughout the U.S. and Canada. Atlas Worldwide handles worldwide gross sales.
In Kenya, producers say the movie has raised $300,000 by means of its influence marketing campaign, which incorporates the opening of a primary all-girls boarding college. A cell desert cinema tour is launching this summer season to carry the movie to distant villages. The venture has garnered assist from organisations together with UNICEF, Ladies Not Brides, and Ladies First Fund.
“Nawi is strictly the type of story we really feel compelled to share—courageous, fantastically made, and unattainable to disregard,” mentioned Khaled Sabbour, founder and CEO of New Mountain Movies. “It’s not solely been acknowledged by the worldwide movie group, however has ignited real-world change. We’re honoured to carry it to North American audiences.”
