The production team behind the feature film Crescent on the Road will premiere it on December 5, 2026 at Unseen Cinema in Kilimani, Nairobi. The screening starts at 4:00 PM.
Victor Gatonye and Mohamed Zainudin directed the drama. Shirleen Wangari and Zainudin produced it under Mohamed Zainudin Films, with Zainudin also serving as executive producer. The story follows a young Muslim woman in Eastlands, Nairobi, as she handles family duty, a financial crisis and public expectations. The film runs 1 hour 30 minutes and carries a GE (General Exhibition) rating.
The plot: a matatu, a debt and a decision
Amina Hilal, an accountant, loses her brother Yusuf unexpectedly. He leaves behind a financed matatu named The Crescent and a family home under threat of foreclosure.
Relatives tell her to sell the vehicle. Amina refuses, leaves her office job and works The Crescent herself.
She faces financial pressure, prejudice and harassment from people who believe a young Muslim woman should not run a matatu. Over time, passengers come to know her, other young women notice her and her community begins to reconsider her choices. The story becomes one about faith, family, dignity and economic independence.
A story framed by Khadija bint Khuwaylid
The screenplay frames Amina’s work through the example of Khadija bint Khuwaylid, a respected businesswoman in early Islamic history. The religious characters in the film ultimately affirm that her conduct can coexist with her faith.
The directors say Amina’s choices come from a need to protect, not a wish to defy.
“Amina’s journey is not rebellion for its own sake. She is protecting her family, her brother’s legacy, her dignity, and her right to determine her own future,” Gatonye and Zainudin said. “The matatu becomes a moving world where faith, gender, class, ambition, and survival collide.”
The directors say the film asks one question: “when life forces us onto an unexpected road, who gets to decide where we are allowed to go?”
How the team researched the matatu world
Wangari said the production consulted scholars and observed women who work in the matatu sector. “We did intense research with scholars and also observed women who work in the sector,” she said.
The cast and crew included Christians and Muslims, among them Zainudin. “They helped greatly in capturing the story as accurately as possible,” Wangari said.
Language chosen for accuracy
The dialogue moves between Coastal Swahili, Sheng, English and the Swahili of older generations, with Islamic terms used as speakers would use them.
Wangari said the choice was deliberate. The production let actors speak naturally, provided the message in the script came through.
“By casting real Muslims we ensured we were true to the story,” she said. “There is a way a Muslim person will speak, quoting the Quran.”
Filming in Eastlands
The crew shot the film mainly across Eastlands. The directors say Nairobi acts as a character through its sound and locations. Handheld cinematography follows the rhythm of nganya culture, the Nairobi matatu scene known for customised buses and loud sound systems. The directors say the handheld approach preserves the story’s emotional realism.
The visual design pairs orange with tints of green, which the directors describe as pressure set against hope and struggle set against renewal.
Zainudin and Gatonye set the visual approach. Wangari said they aimed for a style close to documentary. “We were going for an almost documentary style shoot, so as to immerse ourselves in Amina’s world,” she said.
“The challenges included the duration we had to execute the movie and still stay within budget,” Wangari said. “We had to really put in the hours and make as few mistakes as possible.”
Cast and roles
- Yasmin Said plays Amina. She is known for the role of Maria in the Citizen TV series Maria, which earned her the 2020 Kalasha Award for Best Lead Actress in a TV Drama.
- Ken Ambani plays Uncle Rashid. He is known as Baraza in the series Tausi.
- Martin Kigondu plays Yusuf. He is a playwright, director and producer and founded the production company Prevail Presents.
- Pascal Tokodi plays Hassan. He won Best Lead Actor in a TV Drama at the 2019 Kalasha Awards and the 2020 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Award for Best Supporting Actor for Disconnect.
- Mwangi Thuita plays Jomo. He is known as Chira in the series Pepeta.
- Keith Chuaga plays Danson. He won Best Actor at the Mombasa International Film Festival for Visasi.
- Timothy Musyoki plays Chege.
- Mumtaz Dhulfikar, from Mombasa, plays Mama Amina. She is known for Sukari.
The filmmakers
Gatonye has more than 15 years of experience in television drama. His credits include the feature films 40 Sticks, Dreamchild and Cards on the Table, and 12 television films on Showmax.
Wangari runs Blackwell Films. She produced Cards on the Table in 2025. Her 2023 film Act of Love has held more than 50 impact screenings and has won seven awards, including three at the 2024 Kalasha Awards.
Zainudin’s cinematography on Makosa Ni Yangu earned him a nomination for Best Cinematographer at the 14th Kalasha International Film and TV Awards in 2026. His credits also include the feature Nairobi Half Life.
Supporters
The film is supported by Africa No Filter. CcHUB provided a location, edit space and screening space, according to the production.
Premiere details
- Event: Crescent on the Road film premiere
- Date and time: December 5, 2026, 4:00 PM
- Venue: Unseen Cinema, Kilimani, Nairobi
- Runtime: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Age rating: GE (General Exhibition)
- Trailer: “Crescent on The Road Movie, Official Trailer 2026” on YouTube
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