A young Kenyan in the big, bad city of Nairobi: Mwas has to decide between fast money and his big dream.

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The city beckons with promises and temptation. George Mwangi, called Mwas, an enlightened young man from a country village, goes to Nairobi to become an actor. A hard task in this big city. Things go bad as Mwas joins a gang, but he holds onto his dream. He becomes a robber, using his acting talent to get him out of difficult situations. Mwas does a dangerous balancing act as he balances robberies with his fascination for the stage.

Kenyan David “Tosh” Gitonga's debut film Nairobi Half Life is a piece of reality, between the slums and the stage. With Joseph Wainmu as a restless young man in search of action, the movie is a dramatic slice of current life. Nairobi has its sunny side of the street, but most of it is in shadow, which is filmed realistically and authentically (photography: Christian Almesberger). Gitonga's film is not a popcorn-gangster flick, it's a documentary-like portrait of one part of this city.