Kenyan filmmaker Joan Kiragu’s latest film Numb made its debut screening at the 2019 Urusaro International Women Film Festival, which kicked off October 4 and ended on October 11.

The short film running — 5 minutes 54 seconds — touches on mental health among women as they face a new motherhood experience.

Numb is set in a homestead and revolves around a young couple that has a baby. The woman, a new mother, is depressed by her new experience but her husband offers conslation as he is willing to stand by her in raising the child.

“Depression is something that happens to a lot of people, appearing in various forms depending on the society’s setting,” explains Kiragu.

The film was shot and edited via an android phone, a testament to the 23-year old filmmaker’s strength as innovative and great enthusiast to her growing art.

Numb is Kiragu’s first solo film project. It comes a year after she graduated from Moi University.

Numb was first submitted to My Kenya, My Story- Mobile Phone Film competition in August, where it received a jury mention.

The filmmaker hopes to submit this film to other festivals in a bid to generate debate about depression and mental heath.