This archive report was first published on 27 July 2021.
On July 27, 2021, Melvin Alusa, a sibling of Sauti Sol's Bien-Aimé Baraza, made headlines after winning the best actor award in a feature film at the Zanzibar International Film Festival.
Bien took to his Instagram to congratulate his brother on the achievement, saying,
"Congratulations to my brother @melvinalusa. For scooping BEST ACTOR in a feature film at the Zanzibar International Film Festival. It warms my heart that you are reaching for your dreams with ruthless execution. Love you bro. Onwards and upwards. 💯💯💯💯"
The film, Mission To Rescue, in which Melvin Alusa starred, also won the best East African Film at the Zanzibar International Film Festival awards.
The movie, created in 2019, is set on the Kenya-Somali border and revolves around a team of Kenya Special Operations Forces who are training for their next mission when they receive word that the Assistant County Commissioner and two others have been abducted by the Al-Shabaab militia.
The story is based on the real-life story of a French woman who was kidnapped by the Al-Shabaab. The movie seeks to highlight the effects of radicalization within the community.
You can watch the trailer below:
