Synopsis
In a Jam is a tender, slow-burning documentary-biography of Mwara Kung’u, a seasoned university lecturer and fiercely dedicated Kenyan animator who has spent over five years — and millions of her own money — trying to bring her original animated series Almasi to life.
While Kenya’s “creative economy” grows louder in policy and headlines, Mwara has had to pivot to making and selling jam to keep her dream afloat. The film gently follows her across workshops, studios, processing labs, and personal spaces — weaving in behind-the-scenes footage of her animation work, her jam business, and reflections on a career built on craft, love, and sacrifice.
Told with warmth and long, intentional cuts that sit with her hopes, struggles, and deep inner fire, In a Jam is a love letter to the creatives who live their truth in the margins — sustaining big dreams through small hustles.
Shot by young filmmakers who met her first as students, the documentary offers both admiration and quiet questioning: How long do you chase a dream? And what does it cost to hold on to it?
While Kenya’s “creative economy” grows louder in policy and headlines, Mwara has had to pivot to making and selling jam to keep her dream afloat. The film gently follows her across workshops, studios, processing labs, and personal spaces — weaving in behind-the-scenes footage of her animation work, her jam business, and reflections on a career built on craft, love, and sacrifice.
Told with warmth and long, intentional cuts that sit with her hopes, struggles, and deep inner fire, In a Jam is a love letter to the creatives who live their truth in the margins — sustaining big dreams through small hustles.
Shot by young filmmakers who met her first as students, the documentary offers both admiration and quiet questioning: How long do you chase a dream? And what does it cost to hold on to it?
About
Nitram Martin is a Kenyan filmmaker, visual storyteller, and creative drawn to honest, grounded narratives. In a Jam began as a tribute to his former university lecturer, Mwara Kung’u — a passionate animator who has spent years (and millions) chasing her dream project, Almasi. Along the way, she started a jam business just to keep going.
As Nitram filmed her journey, he began to see reflections of his own — and that of many creatives around him. People building with no safety nets. Creating simply because they must.
This documentary is his way of honoring that quiet resilience. Nitram’s filmmaking style leans into long takes, lived emotion, and stories that feel like intimate conversations. Honest. Intentional. Rooted in real life.