James Ongige
- Director
- Writer
- Actor
James Ongige is a Kenyan filmmaker, musician, actor, and producer from Nairobi, Kenya. Raised in Kangemi, he attended New Kihumbuini Primary School and later Nduru Boys' High School in Kisii. He went on to study film at the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication.
Ongige began his music career in 2019, performing under the name Quaffff for most of his musical career before officially retiring the name in 2025 and beginning to release music under his real name.
In 2024, while studying film, he made his directorial debut with the short horror film I Know Whatcha Did (2024). The following year, he wrote and directed The Holy Requiem (2025) as well as the documentaries Harambee: The Weight of Division (2025) and Weekend in Hell (2025). In 2026, he wrote and directed the psychological thriller short film No Exit (2026), followed by his feature film debut, Voice of State (2026), which won Best Director, Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay and Best Editing at the 2026 KIMC Awards.
Ongige began his music career in 2019, performing under the name Quaffff for most of his musical career before officially retiring the name in 2025 and beginning to release music under his real name.
In 2024, while studying film, he made his directorial debut with the short horror film I Know Whatcha Did (2024). The following year, he wrote and directed The Holy Requiem (2025) as well as the documentaries Harambee: The Weight of Division (2025) and Weekend in Hell (2025). In 2026, he wrote and directed the psychological thriller short film No Exit (2026), followed by his feature film debut, Voice of State (2026), which won Best Director, Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay and Best Editing at the 2026 KIMC Awards.
