Award-winning Kenyan director Likarion Wainaina returns to Showmax with “Subterranea,” a new science fiction series. The streaming platform has unveiled a trailer for the eight-part show.
Wainaina, known for his award-winning superhero film “Supa Modo,” brings together a cast of Kenyan talent for this psychological experiment-turned-apocalyptic tale. The story follows eight participants trapped in an underground bunker after a global catastrophe.
The ensemble includes Kalasha Award winners Foi Wambui (“Crime and Justice”), Peter Kawa (“County 49”) and Nice Githinji (“The Caller”), alongside nominees Melvin Alusa and Melissa Kiplagat (both from “Country Queen”). Filmmaker Philippa Ndisi-Herrmann makes her acting debut, joined by Makena Kahuha (“Kina”), Biko Nyongesa (“Sense8”), Pauline Komu (“Groove Theory”), Kenyan Theatre Awards winner Dadson Gakenga (“Subira”) and newcomer Chintu Chudasama.
“In Kenya, and maybe other places, there’s this misconception that sci-fi always means futuristic or lots of laser guns, but sci-fi can also be about exploring the impact of actual or imagined science on human psychology or behaviour. That is what ‘Subterranea’ is all about,” Wainaina said. “It’s not a futuristic show but rather a series where we dream about science and how our characters react to it.”
The series is a Kibanda Pictures production co-produced by Wainaina and creator Brian Munene, with Martin Kigondu (“County 49”) and Arnold Mwanjila (“Taliya”) as additional writers. Munene, whose credits include “Crime and Justice” and “County 49,” said, “’Subterranea’ tackles very human themes that our Kenyan audience will identify with. We have eight individuals with very different personalities stuck in a bunker and they have to find a way to work together to survive, so themes of family and unity come out very strongly.”
“There are also themes of broken institutions and mental health. We dug deeper and asked ourselves: ‘What are some issues in Kenyan society that we normally don’t see on TV?’ So ‘Subterranea’ explores Issues such as male postpartum depression, PTSD among our armed forces, and cults in Kenya and their impact on followers,” Munene added.
MultiChoice Studios is handling international sales for the series. “Subterranea” is set to premiere on Showmax on Sept. 26.
Watch the trailer here:
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