Mbithi Masya is a filmmaker, creative strategist, and one of Africa's most influential creative forces. As former Creative Director for Girl Effect in Africa, he has shaped brand and content movements across the continent, launching youth media platforms and storytelling initiatives that have reached millions.
Mbithi is interested in intimate human stories told across different canvases, presented with cultural specificity and a quiet sense of magic.
His debut feature film, Kati Kati, produced by the acclaimed German filmmaker Tom Tykwer, premiered to critical acclaim. The film received the FIPRESCI Award in the Discovery Programme at the Toronto International Film Festival, where the jury described Mbithi as ‘an exciting and unique new voice in cinema.’
Kati Kati went on to win the New Voices/New Visions Award Special Mention at the Palm Springs International Festival, the Filmpris at the 19th CinemAfrica Film Festival in Stockholm, the Emerging Filmmaker Award at the 2017 Minneapolis St Paul International Film Festival, and the Best East African Film award at the 2017 Africa Movie Viewers Choice Awards.
His short film, BABA, had its world premiere at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival. The film was awarded the Baobab Prize for Best Short Film at the Film Africa Festival in London.
Alongside his narrative work, Mbithi has directed award-winning commercials and branded films for some of the African continent’s most prominent brands and institutions, including Girl Effect, Equity Bank, Betika, Safaricom, Barclays, Coca-Cola, Oracle Kenya, Google Kenya and Airtel.
His commercial work shares the same sensibility as his narrative films, exploring humanity through craft. That work is executed across multiple markets, including Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and India, often under complex production conditions that demand both creative ambition and logistical precision.
Notably, he directed Equity Bank’s 25th Anniversary campaign, a multi-country production that pushed the boundaries of craft at scale across diverse and remote locations.
As an artist, Mbithi is a member of the acclaimed experimental art collective, JUST A BAND, known for its genre-blending music, video art, and multimedia practice. As part of the collective, he has participated in international video art exhibitions, including KUDISHNYAO! at Rush Gallery in New York. His music video work has earned him recognition from local and international press, including the New York Times, Fader, Huffington Post and Okay Africa, as well as a Google spotlight during the launch of YouTube Kenya.
Beyond directing, he is a creative strategist and a former Creative Director for Girl Effect in Africa, where he led brand and content development across multiple African countries, launching youth media platforms and storytelling initiatives that have reached millions.
He works with organisations, brands, and creative teams to craft powerful narratives that connect with diverse audiences, particularly young people. With experience spanning award-winning film, digital media, and large-scale social impact campaigns, he has built content ecosystems from the ground up and led multi-country creative teams.
Mbithi is the Co-Founder and Artistic Director of the NBO Film Festival, a platform established to revitalise cinema-going culture in Nairobi and contribute to the growth of a sustainable film ecosystem in East Africa.
