Visualising Kenyan Sociological Films through Camera Eye and Mise-en-scène
Abstract
This article examines how the visual aesthetics of camera work and mise-en-scène in contemporary Kenyan cinema shape ideologies of sexual morality and position audiences. Focusing on the films Nafsi and Disconnect: The Wedding Planner, while employing film semiotics and cognitive-affective models, the study interrogates the encoding of moral narratives through cinematic techniques and the strategies used to elicit specific ethical positions from viewers. Utilising a qualitative design that combines textual film analysis with semi-structured interviews of filmmakers, this study interprets the visual mediation of Kenya’s evolving sexual moral landscapes. Analysis centres on four pillars: the moral encoding language of shot components, Audience positioning through subjective/proximal strategies, Embodied spectatorship in moral interpretation, and the ethical implications of visual strategies. Findings reveal that directors strategically employ proximal visual tactics (camera proximity, framing, mise-en-scène) to immerse audiences in characters’ vulnerabilities, promote empathy while implicating them in moral reckonings. The study concludes that Kenyan filmmakers utilise embodied spectatorship to navigate the tensions between tradition and modernity, rendering sexual morality as a lived, visual experience rather than an abstract dogma. However, immersive, ethical ambiguities persist, while subjective strategies can open moral interpretation; the power of visuals also carries significant ideological weight. This research demonstrates how visual aesthetics mediate ideological power, underscoring Kenyan cinema's dual role as both mirror and catalyst in sociocultural discourse on sexuality.
Keywords: Visual Aesthetics, Audience Positioning, Sexual Morality, Shots, Narratives
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