Wanuri Kahiu signs deal with Disney Plus – KBC

Wanuri will direct the adaptation of the musical “Once on This Island”

Wanuri Kahiu has signed a deal with Disney Plus that will see her direct the popular Broadway musical “Once on This Island” for the streaming service. 

?Announcement:
I’m grateful to be directing the film adaptation of Once On This Island for Disney+ with scriptwriter Jocelyn Bioh @jjbioh (School Girls/ She Gotta Have It/ Russian Doll)!!!

A musical about true love, Gods and the magic of radical hope!https://t.co/egSHsE7DQF

— Wanuri (@wanuri) July 30, 2020

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Kahiu is better known for her work on “Rafiki” which became the first Kenyan film to screen at the Cannes Film Festival. The film recently won the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Film – Limited Release.

Wanuri’s movie had been banned in Kenya by the Kenya Film Classification Board when it was released until a judge lifted the ban. The ban was temporarily lifted by Judge Wilfrida Okwanny at the Milimani Law Courts who argued that ‘Gay theme or the practice of homosexuality did not begin with Rafiki.’

The musical adaptation will be written by playwright Jocelyn Bioh and directed by Kahiu. The musical is based on the novel by Rosa Guy, My Love, My Love or The Peasant Girl.