Pan-African distribution company Bigger Motion has officially dropped the list of affirmed cinema venues for the upcoming regional theatrical run of Memory of Princess Mumbi. The independent African sci-fi romance will embark on an expansive multi-country major-screen rollout from August through September 2026. This massive regional wave will bring the festival favorite directly to local independent theaters across Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Uganda, and Tanzania.
Bigger Motion has partnered directly with leading independent theater chains and cultural screening spaces across East Africa. Audiences can catch the film at the following affirmed locations: Note for Audiences: Following standard theater operations, cinemas release their exact daily screening showtimes one week prior to the dates. Full daily timing schedules will be updated across Bigger Motion’s social platforms and local theater ticketing systems as each screening week approaches.
The Bigger Motion team is also still working on adding more screening venues within the region, with new locations to be unveiled as they are locked in. To kick off the entire multi-country run, Bigger Motion is hosting a special Nairobi Homecoming Screening on Thursday, August 7th, 2026, at Prestige Cinema on Ngong Road. This opening night serves as a celebratory homecoming for the team following the film’s historic world premiere at Giornate degli Autori (Venice Days) section of the Venice International Film Festival (where it was the first Kenyan feature ever selected in competition), the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), and the BFI London Film Festival.
Tickets for the Nairobi Homecoming event are officially live on Mookh, starting with limited Early Bird tickets at KES 1,000 available until July 24th, after which regular tickets will retail at KES 1,500. To celebrate the film’s futuristic setting, guests are invited to dress up to match the opening night theme: Afrofuturism 2093. Immediately following this launch night, the film will slide into its regular weekly cinema runs across the region.
At its heart, Memory of Princess Mumbi is a sweet, fun, and lighthearted love story set in a resurrected African kingdom in the year 2093. Directed by 25-year-old Swiss-Kenyan filmmaker Damien Hauser, the unique genre-bender is shot in a brilliant mockumentary style, focusing entirely on romance, imagination, and pure entertainment. The production showcases the extraordinary resourcefulness of young African creators working on an independent budget.
The story itself features a brilliant real-world irony: the plot follows a fictional director who is challenged to make a movie completely without using any Artificial Intelligence (AI). In reality, Damien did the exact opposite. He embraced free AI tools to digitally extend his physical sets and build the movie’s massive, visually spectacular futuristic backgrounds, proving what young creators can achieve with limited resources.
Furthermore, the film was created completely unscripted, allowing the actors to use natural, organic improvisation to bring the characters to life. “After a long international festival journey, I am incredibly happy that Memory of Princess Mumbi is finally coming home and will now reach audiences across Kenya and East Africa through a proper theatrical release,”states Damien Hauser, Director. “I am deeply grateful to Bigger Motion for making this release possible.
More than anything, I wanted to make a film that brings joy, laughter, and warmth, and I cannot wait to finally share it with the audiences it was made for.” For co-producer and lead actor Shandra Apondi, who plays Mumbi, the release is a beautiful opportunity to share the project with the community that inspired it. “This film was made with so much love, and I hope that love comes through on screen,”states Shandra Apondi.
“The story presents Africa and its people beyond the struggles that are so often associated with the continent. Instead, it celebrates our humanity, creativity, humour, and everyday lives. I hope audiences laugh, connect with Mumbi, Kuve, and the other characters, and enjoy watching the film as much as we enjoyed making it.”
King Bee Kiragu is the quintessential man-about-town and a lifestyle connoisseur. Stylish and tapped in, he stays abreast of all things pop culture and entertainment. He has a keen eye for the good life, high-end aesthetics and travel.