Unseen Nairobi
Film, Food & A View.
Keep scrolling to discover what’s on!
How To Build a Library
2025 | 1hr 43min. | A Film by Maia Lekow & Chris King | English & Swahili
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Two intrepid Nairobi women decide to transform what used to be a whites-only library until 1958 into a vibrant cultural hub. Along the way, they must navigate local politics, raise millions for the rebuild, and confront the lingering ghosts of Kenya’s colonial past.
*Please note that as we are a small, cultural space our tickets are non refundable & cannot be exchanged for another date. So if you decide you can’t come at the last minute, we suggest donating or reselling your ticket! Make a friend happy with a gift of cinema.
Katanga: The Dance of the Scorpions
2024 | 1hr 53min. | A Film by Dani Kouyaté | Mooré with English Subtitles
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After a failed conspiracy against the crown, the king Pazouknaam names his cousin Katanga as head of the armed forces.
Conscious of the weight of this role, Katanga consults a soothsayer to assure the success of his mission. Reading the sands, the soothesayer tells Katanga that he will either succeed his cousin as king or die during a future coup.
Directors statement:
KATANGA: THE DANCE OF THE SCORPIONS is a universal and timeless political fable, adapted from William Shakespeare’s tragedy Macbeth. The film is about loyalty in friendship, and the fragility of human nature in the face of power.
“Scorpions dance in my head and tickle my brain” murmurs KATANGA, intoxicated by the omnipotence of his authority.
KATANGA: THE DANCE OF THE SCORPIONS is one of the few film adaptations of the famous author William Shakespeare on the African continent. Adapting Shakespeare for Africa seems a natural step.
The Shakespearean universe easily meets the spirit of the great African narratives tinged with the supernatural and recurring fusions between the visible and invisible worlds.
The choice of black & white, in addition to its aesthetic strength, lends the film a fabulous character outside time and space.
*Please note that as we are a small, cultural space our tickets are non refundable & cannot be exchanged for another date. So if you decide you can’t come at the last minute, we suggest donating or reselling your ticket! Make a friend happy with a gift of cinema.
2000 Meters to Andriivka
2025 | 104min. | A Film by Mstyslav Chernov | English, Ukrainian and Russian, with English subtitles
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From the Oscar®-winning team behind 20 DAYS IN MARIUPOL, 2000 METERS TO ANDRIIVKA documents the toll of the Russia-Ukraine war from a personal and devastating vantage point.
Following his historic account of the civilian toll in Mariupol, Mstyslav Chernov turns his lens towards Ukrainian soldiers — who they are, where they came from, and the impossible decisions they face in the trenches as they fight for every inch of their land.
Amid a failing counteroffensive in 2023, Chernov and his AP colleague Alex Babenko follow a Ukrainian brigade battling through approximately one mile of a heavily fortified forest on their mission to liberate the Russian-occupied village of Andriivka. Weaving together original footage, intensive Ukrainian Army bodycam video and powerful moments of reflection, 2000 METERS TO ANDRIIVKA reveals with haunting intimacy, the farther the soldiers advance through their destroyed homeland, the more they realize that, for them, this war may never end.
*Please note that as we are a small, cultural space our tickets are non refundable & cannot be exchanged for another date. So if you decide you can’t come at the last minute, we suggest donating or reselling your ticket! Make a friend happy with a gift of cinema.
MINI MORNINGS AT UNSEEN
From fantastical adventures to hilarious animations, come and join us for a fun morning! Every Sunday from 10am.
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Our Mini Mornings gives smaller kids the chance to experience films on the big screen in a child friendly environment, with soft lighting and lowered film volume. Mini Mornings are run every Sunday morning at 10am. Suitable for ages 2+
The ticket price is 650 KSH per child and includes fresh juice and a homemade snack. All children must be under the supervision of an adult. The screening is free for the accompanying adults.
UNSEEN GEMS FILMCLUB
Next Gems: January
Join us for monthly themes and film discussions and discover the best film that you haven’t seen yet. Voting for the three film contenders via our Instagram page or Whatsapp Group.
Hosted by Unseen Nairobi with introductions & discussions led by friend, film lecturer & novelist, Matthew Daintrey-Hall.
Check out the GEMS archive on Letterboxd
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We don't want price to be a barrier to seeing and talking about great films, so pay what you can afford to join our Film Club each month!
Booking fee (supports a cheapy seaty)
550KSh
Subsidised fee (Cheapy Seaty) -
100KSh
MOVIE QUIZ NIGHT
Next Quiz Night - December 21st 2025
Join Mugambi Nthiga & Naddya Adhiambo Oluoch-Olunya for our legendary Movie Quiz Night at Unseen’s rooftop.
Join with your team or fly solo to compete as the ultimate movie trivia champion!
You can guarantee lots of laughs and friendly competition. Tickets are free but booking is essential.