With its blend of humour, emotional honesty, and striking visuals, One Woman One Bra continues to solidify African storytelling as a vital voice in world cinema.
By Joseph Jonathan
Kenyan filmmaker Vincho Nchogu’s debut feature, One Woman One Bra, has won the prestigious Sutherland Award for Best First Feature at the 69th BFI London Film Festival.
The announcement was made on Sunday, October 19, 2025, in London, where the film triumphed over a strong slate of international debut features. The jury, composed of filmmakers Kibwe Tavares, Anja Fröhner, and Nadia Latif, praised Nchogu for her tonal mastery, emotional depth, and assured direction, describing the film as “funny, life-affirming, and deeply moving”.
A Kenyan–Nigerian co-production, One Woman One Bra is produced by Josh Olaoluwa and written and directed by Nchogu. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival last month, where it was developed under the Venice Biennale College Programme.
Shot in the Kenyan village of Nkosesia, the film stars Sarah Karei, Norng’aruani Kipuker, and Amos Leuka, with cinematography by Muhammad Atta Ahmed, production design by Nuur Abdulkadir, editing by Shannon C. Griffin, music by Henrique Eisenmann, and sound design by Marco Salaverria.
The film follows Star (Karei), a 38-year-old woman fighting to retain her ancestral land as her village prepares to receive title deeds for the first time. With no known parentage and unmarried, her claim is rejected until she finds a photograph that may link her to her estranged mother. Desperation forces her to confront moral, cultural, and personal dilemmas in her quest for belonging.
Exploring themes of land rights, identity, ambition, and feminist self-determination, One Woman One Bra situates its intimate story within broader conversations about heritage and ownership in postcolonial Africa.